Camera carrying apparatus, system, and method

Abstract

An object support apparatus for supporting an object on a person's body includes a first strap and a shoulder support fixedly coupled to the first strap. The apparatus also includes a second strap that is fixedly coupled to the shoulder support. The first strap, shoulder support, and second strap are positionable about a person's body and have a low friction surface. An end portion of one of the first and second straps is securable to an object. An adjustment mechanism of the apparatus adjustably couples the first strap and the second strap to form a loop defined by the shoulder support and portions of the first and second strap. The adjustment mechanism is configured to maintain the loop tight against the person's body. The loop is easily slidable about the person's body while tight against the person's body to position the object between an in-use position and a non-use position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An object support apparatus for supporting an object on a person's body, comprising:
 a first strap;   a shoulder support fixedly coupled to the first strap;   a second strap fixedly coupled to the shoulder support, the first strap, shoulder support, and second strap being positionable about a person's body, wherein the first strap, shoulder support, and second strap comprise a low friction surface, and wherein an end portion of one of the first and second straps is securable to an object; and   an adjustment mechanism adjustably coupling the first strap and the second strap to form a loop defined by the shoulder support and portions of the first and second strap, wherein the adjustment mechanism maintains the loop tight against the person's body;   wherein the loop is easily slidable about the person's body while tight against the person's body to position the object between an in-use position and a non-use position.   
     
     
         2 . The object support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the end portion of the one of the first and second straps comprises a portion of one of the first and second straps not forming the loop. 
     
     
         3 . The object support apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the end portion of one of the first and second straps is freely movable relative to the loop while the loop is tight against the person's body in both the in-use and non-use positions. 
     
     
         4 . The object support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the loop is tightenable against the person's body by pulling one of the first and second straps through the adjustment mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The object support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is actuatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the adjustment mechanism allows movement through the adjustment mechanism of the first strap relative to the second strap in a first direction and prevents movement through the adjustment mechanism of the first strap relative to the second strap in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         6 . The object support apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein in the open position the adjustment mechanism allows movement through the adjustment mechanism of the first strap relative to the second strap in the first and second directions. 
     
     
         7 . The object support apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is biased in the closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The object support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shoulder support comprises a pad encapsulated by a covering having the low friction surface. 
     
     
         9 . The object support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the couplings between the shoulder strap and the first and second straps is fixed. 
     
     
         10 . The object support apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an object attachment mechanism coupled to the end portion of one of the first and second straps, the object attachment mechanism being removably coupleable to the object. 
     
     
         11 . The object support apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the object attachment mechanism comprises a first coupling removably coupleable to a first portion of the object and a second coupling removably couplable to a second portion of the object. 
     
     
         12 . The object support apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the object is a camera and the first portion comprises a body and the second portion comprises a lens, and wherein the first coupling is of a different type than the second coupling. 
     
     
         13 . The object support apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the object attachment mechanism comprises an object coupling removably securable to the object and a strap coupling securable to the end portion of one of the first and second straps, and wherein the strap coupling is removably securable to the object coupling to couple the object to the end portion of one of the first and second straps. 
     
     
         14 . The object support apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the strap coupling comprises a plug and the camera coupling comprises an aperture, wherein the plug is removably insertable within the aperture to couple the object to the end of one of the first and second straps. 
     
     
         15 . The object support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the end portion of the other of the first and second straps being pullable relative to the adjustment mechanism to tighten the loop about the person's body. 
     
     
         16 . A method for supporting an object about a person's body, comprising:
 providing an object carrier comprising a first strap, second strap, and shoulder pad coupled to each other to form an adjustable loop, the first strap, second strap, and shoulder pad comprising a low friction outer surface, wherein the position of the shoulder pad along the first and second straps is fixed, and wherein a portion of the first strap extends outside of the adjustable loop, the portion of the first strap extending outside of the adjustable loop being removably coupleable to an object;   positioning the loop of the object carrier about a shoulder region of the person's body on a first side of the person's body and a second side of the person's body in a sling-like manner; and   while tight against shoulder region of the person's body on the first side and the upper torso of the person's body on the second side, sliding the adjustable loop about the shoulder region of the person's body on the first side and the upper torso of the person's body on the second side to move the portion of the first strap extending outside of the adjustable loop and an object removably coupled thereto between an object in-use position proximate a front of the person's body and an object non-use position proximate the second side of the person's body.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a portion of the second strap extends outside of the adjustable loop, the portion of the second strap comprising a free end, and the method further comprising pulling the free end of the second strap to tighten the adjustable loop about the shoulder region of the person's body on the first side and an upper torso of the person's body on the second side. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein sliding the adjustable loop comprises slidably moving the shoulder pad along the person's body between the shoulder region of the person's body and a back of the person's body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein sliding the adjustable loop comprises simultaneously moving the shoulder pad from the shoulder region of the person's body to the back of the person's body and the portion of the first strap extending outside of the adjustable loop and an object removably coupled thereto from the object non-use position to the object in-use position. 
     
     
         20 . A camera carrier for supporting a camera on a person's body, comprising:
 a first strap;   a second strap;   a shoulder pad fixedly coupled to and between the first and second straps to form an adjustable loop with first portions of the first and second straps, each of the first strap, second strap, and shoulder pad comprising a low friction outer surface, wherein respective second portions of the first and second straps do not form part of the adjustable loop, the second portion of the first strap being removably coupleable to a camera and the second portion of the second strap comprising a free end; and   a coupling mechanism coupling the first and second straps together to form the adjustable loop, the coupling mechanism configured to facilitate adjustment of the length of the adjustable loop, wherein the adjustable loop is tightenable against a person's body in a sling-like manner by pulling the free end of the second portion of the second strap relative to the coupling mechanism;   wherein the low friction outer surfaces of the first strap, second strap, and shoulder pad facilitate low-friction sliding engagement between the first strap, second strap, and shoulder pad of the adjustable loop and the person's body while the adjustable loop is tight against the person's body in the sling-like manner and while the camera is moved between an in-use position proximate a front of the person's body and a non-use position proximate a side of the person's body.