IP Library Granted Patent US 9,482,931
Granted Patent B1
US 9,482,931 · App. 15/161,944 · Granted Nov 1, 2016

Detachable camera mount

Inventors: Christopher Aaron Clearman (Half Moon Bay, CA); Eric McCallister Bennett (Foster City, CA)
Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
G03B17/561A45F5/00A45F5/02B60R11/02F16B11/006F16M13/02B60R2011/0078
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,482,931
App. No.
15/161,944
Granted
Nov 1, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

Various camera mounts used to attach a camera to a helmet, vehicle, user, or other object are described. In one embodiment, a flexible camera mount deforms under impact, allowing an attached camera to detach without fracturing the mount. In a second embodiment, a non-flexible camera mount fractures under impact, allowing an attached camera to detach. In a third embodiment, a camera mount comprising a ring base and a floating base separates under impact, allowing a camera attached to the floating base to detach. In a fourth embodiment, a non-flexible camera mount including two rigid sections joined in a “V” shape fractures under impact, allowing the camera to detach. In a fifth embodiment, a flexible camera mount comprising two sections connected in a “V” shape separate under impact, allowing the camera to detach.

Claims (32)

1. A camera mount comprising:

a ring base comprising a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising attachment means configured to couple the camera mount to a surface;

a floating base comprising:

a spine protruding from a top surface of the floating base;

a first arm protruding from a first side of the top surface of the floating base; and

a second arm protruding from a second side of the top surface of the floating base opposite the first side;

wherein the first arm, the second arm, and the spine are configured to secure a camera to the camera mount; and

a plurality of tabs coupling the ring base to the floating base such that the ring base surrounds the floating base and such that a gap exists between the ring base and the floating base, one or more of the plurality of tabs configured to fracture in response to an above-threshold impact force on the camera.

2. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tabs comprises a brittle plastic material.

3. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tabs protrude from a top surface of the ring base.

4. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the ring base comprises a top portion, a left portion, a bottom portion, and a right portion.

5. The camera mount of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tabs is coupled to each of the top portion and the bottom portion.

6. The camera mount of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tabs is coupled to each of the left portion and the right portion.

7. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the ring base comprises an outside edge and an inside edge.

8. The camera mount of claim 7 , wherein one or both of the outside edge and an inside edge comprise a square with rounded corners.

9. The camera mount of claim 7 , wherein a circumference of the inside edge of the ring base is greater than a circumference of the floating base.

10. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tabs comprises four or more tabs.

11. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a plane defined by the top surface of the floating base and a plane defined by the bottom surface of the ring base is greater than a distance between a top surface of the ring base and the bottom surface of the ring base.

12. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the attachment means comprises an adhesive.

13. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and the second arm each comprise a lip configured to abut a top surface of a reciprocal camera mounting component configured to couple to the camera, securing the reciprocal camera mounting component to the camera mount.

14. A camera mount comprising:

a ring base comprising a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising attachment means configured to couple the camera mount to a surface;

a floating base configured to secure a camera to the camera mount; and

a plurality of tabs coupling the ring base to the floating base such that the ring base surrounds the floating base and such that a gap exists between the ring base and the floating base, one or more of the plurality of tabs configured to fracture in response to an above-threshold impact force on the camera.

15. The camera mount of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of tabs comprises a brittle plastic material.

16. The camera mount of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of tabs protrude from a top surface of the ring base.

17. The camera mount of claim 14 , wherein the ring base comprises a top portion, a left portion, a bottom portion, and a right portion.

18. The camera mount of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tabs is coupled to each of the top portion and the bottom portion.

19. The camera mount of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tabs is coupled to each of the left portion and the right portion.

20. The camera mount of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of tabs comprises four or more tabs.

21. The camera mount of claim 14 , wherein a distance between a plane defined by a top surface of the floating base and a plane defined by the bottom surface of the ring base is greater than a distance between a top surface of the ring base and the bottom surface of the ring base.

22. The camera mount of claim 1 , wherein the attachment means comprises an adhesive.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: FARALLON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 072340/0676 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 072358/0001 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 055106/0434 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2016
From: CLEARMAN, CHRISTOPHER AARON; BENNETT, ERIC MCCALLISTER
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 039863/0566 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 29, 2016
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 039851/0611 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 14854040 · Sep 15, 2015