Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
CAMERA SUPPORT HARNESS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
S
The present invention relates to a camera support harness which is to be worn
by a camera
operator and which may be used for motion picture or television camera work.
In particular, the
present invention relates to a camera support harness for transferring the
weight of a camera to
the harness through a support arm, which support arm is anchored to the
harness at the lower
lumbar region of the harness, therefore transmitting the weight of the camera
to the lower back
and hips of the cameraman. This attachment and weight transfer to the lower
back and hips of
the camera may allow the operator (i.e. cameraman) to carry the camera for
long periods of time
without the operator becoming unduly fatigued and in particular, may reduce or
eliminate mid
and upper back strain on the operator by transfernng the weight of a camera to
an operator's
strongest body part, namely the hips and pelvic area.
Harnesses and other camera supports apparatus are known in the art, for
example U.S.4,158,488
to Gottschalk et al., U.S. 4,158,490 to Gottschalk et al., U.S. 4,298,149 to
Gottschalk et al., U.S.
4,976,387 to Spianti, U.S. 5,360,196 to DiGiulio et al., U.S. 5,435,514 to
DiGiulio et al, U.S.
5,462,216 Buswell, U.S. 5,598,963 to Buswell. In addition, other types of
support for use in
conjunction with sporting equipments are also known, namely U.S. 4,802,612 to
Anderson and
U.S. 5,738,256 to Goff. However the above quoted prior art disclose harnesses
or other support
apparatus which transfer the weight of a camera (or sporting item) to the
front of a cameraman
or user (i.e. to his chest or stomach). Supports and harnesses which utilize
this front loading
manner of attaching a camera (or other load) to the a harness, have a
tremendous disadvantage
in that the weight of the camera ( or other heavy object to be carried) is
ultimately transferred to
the body of the operator at or near the front of his body, causing the
operator to bend over
forward. As may be understood, this weight transfer may cause an operator to
become tired
quickly, and may eventually cause the operator to experience back strain, back
pain and potential
back injury, especially to the upper and mid back regions, as the back (i.e.
muscles, ligaments,
tendons, etc...) strain against the weight of the camera to be supported. In
particular, the use of
CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
modern filming techniques, which employ a combination of heavy equipment and
require the
operator to be very mobile, agile and on his feet for long periods of time,
make the use of front
mounted support vests impractical and difficult to use. This may be
particularly true for
cameramen who involved in filming action movies, and/or scenes, which may
require them to
follow the action on foot while climbing and jumping over obstacles, all the
while carrying heavy
equipment.
Therefore it would be advantageous to provide a support harness for supporting
the weight of
heavy equipment, such as film equipment, wherein the weight of the equipment
is transferred to
the back of the harness, and then subsequently transferred to the operator,
such that his lower
back, his hips; and his pelvic area carry the weight of the operator.
It would be further advantageous to provide a support harness wherein the
transfer point at which
the weight of the equipment is transferred to the harness is located on the
harness such that the
operator wearing the harness is not made to bend forwardly under the load.
It would be further advantageous to provide a support harness wherein the
distance from the
weight transfer point to the spinal column of the operator is reduced to a
minimum.
It would be further advantageous to provide an equipment support harness
comprising a one
piece vest having a back portion and a front portion, wherein the weight of
the equipment is
transferred to the back portion adjacent to the bottom of the back portion,
and wherein the vest
then transfers the weight of the camera onto the operator's lower back, hips
and pelvic area.
It would be further advantageous to provide an equipment support harness which
is of simple
construction and easy to use, therefore enabling an operator to install his
harness without the
assistance of someone else.
It would be further advantageous to provide an equipment support harness which
is of simple
construction, and which does not include bulky and heavy exterior frame work
for transferring
the load of the equipment to the harness.
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
'The present invention in accordance with a general aspect, provides for a:
camera support harness suitable to be wom by a cameraman comprising a shell,
said shell
comprising a front portion in a back portion,
said back portion being configured and disposed to engage a back region of
said cameraman, said
front portion being configured and disposed to engage a front region and a hip
area of said
cameraman,
means for effecting a tight wrapping of said shell around a lower trunk area
of the
cameraman
a support arm affixed to said back portion, said support arm extending
outwardly from
said shell,
said support arm comprising a fixation point along its length for releasably
supporting a load thereon,
said shell and said support arm being configured and disposed such that the
weight of said load
supported on said support arm is transferred to the back portion of the shell
such that the weight
of the load is transferred to the lower back and hips of the cameraman.
In accordance with a .further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided for a:
camera support harness suitable to be worn by a cameraman comprising a one
piece shell, said
shell comprising a front portion and a back portion,
said back portion being configured and disposed to engage a lower back region
of said
cameraman, said front portion comprising two opposed anterior flaps, said
front portion being
configured and disposed to engage a lower abdomen region and a hip area of
said cameraman,
attachment means for closing said two opposed anterior flaps towards each
other,
and effecting a tight wrapping of said shell around the lower abdomen region
of
the cameraman
an anchor plate affixed to the back portion of said shell,
a support arm releasably attached to said anchor plate, said support arm
extending outwardly and
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
laterally from said shell, and curving forwardly adjacent said front portion,
said support arrn comprising a fixation point along its length for releasably
supporting a load thereon,
said camera support harness further comprising a strap connecting said back
portion and said
-front portion, said strap being disposed to drape over a shoulder of said
cameraman when said
camera support harness is worn by said cameraman
said shell and said support arm being configured and disposed such that the
weight of said
load supported on said support arm is transferred to the anchor plate, and
then to the back
portion of the shell such that the weight of the load is carned by the lower
back and hips of the
cameraman when the camera support harness is worn by the cameraman.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided for an:
apparatus for transfernng the weight of a load to the hips and lower back of
an operator, said
apparatus comprising a one piece shell configured and disposed to fit over and
around the lower
trunk and hips of said operator,
said shell comprising attachments means to effect a cinching of said shell
around the the lower
trunk and hips of said operator,
said shell comprising a support arm for supporting said load thereon, said
support arm being
affixed to said shell at an anchor point on said shell such that the anchor
point is disposed behind
the spinal column of the operator when said apparatus is worn by said
operator,
said shell and said support arm being configure and disposed so as to effect
the transfer
of said load to the lower back and the hip area of the operator.
In accordance with a general aspect of the present invention, there is
provided for a support
harness configured and disposed so as to act as a load transfer interface of
improved design: The
improved equipment support harness is designed to transfer the weight of a
camera, (such as
video camera, film camera, Steady camTM, or any other filin equipments such as
lights, sound
equipment, etc..., or for that matter any other heavy equipment, whether
sports equipment,
construction equipment, etc...), to the operator, in the most ergonomically
efficient manner
possible, in order to minimize unnecessary loads on the operator. As may be
understood, a
human being's ability to carry large or heavy loads, particularly for long
periods of time, and
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
when further combined with fast movement, is relatively limited. Further, the
weight transfer
of the heavy load to the operator, if effected improperly, may result in the
operator becoming
tired too quickly, may reduce his efficiency andJor his mobility, and further
may potentially
result in repetitive strain injury. In particular, improper weight transfer to
the operator, for
example, if the transfer is effected to the front (i.e. chest or stomach) of
the user may result in
injury to the back and neck of the user. As may be understood, the back
muscles of a human
being are meant to keep a human upright, and not meant to counteract or carry
heavy loads which
have a tendency to make a human being bend forward.
Therefore, in order to overcome the above mentioned shortcomings, the present
invention
provides for a camera support harness wherein the weight of the equipment,
i.e. camera, may be
transferred to the lower back; hips and pelvic area of an operator, which are
generally a human
being's strongest body parts. The load may then be transferred to the legs of
the operator. This
arrangement may therefore eliminate or reduce as much as possible, any load
acting on the
operator which may tend to make him bend forwardly, and may in particular
reduce or eliminate
forward reaching, bending moments which must be supported by the operator
either by his
shoulders, or by his upper, mid and lower back.
The weight transfer of, for example, a camera onto a harness and then onto the
body of an
operator follows well known physical and engineering principles. Thus any load
to be carned
by an operator, in particular vertical loads that act (i.e. along an axis)
away from the body of the
operator, will tend to create a bending moment about the axis of an operator's
spinal column.
A bending moment is a force which may tend to cause bending or twisting of the
obj ect to which
it is applied. This bending moment created by the load is a force which must
be counteracted
by the operator, namely in that the muscular-skeletal system of the operator
must counteract this
bending moment. Thus as may be understood, the weight of the load, i.e. a
camera, may cause
two forces which must be carried by the operator, namely a vertical force
acting downwardly
which must be countered by the operator by a vertical force acting upwardly,
and a bending
moment. In a harness where the load is applied to the front of the harness,
i.e. to the chest or
abdomen of the operator, the bending moment thus applied has a tendency to
want to bend, i.e.
to force the operator forwardly, i.e. to flex his spinal column forward. This
force must be
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
countered by the operator, namely by him straining to keep upright. Visually,
the situation is
similar to a load which is to be carried by a cantilever beam. Generally
speaking, a bending
moment force is a function of two variables, namely the weight of the object
to be carried, and
the length of the moment arm, which moment arm is the right-angle distance
from the load to be
carried, to the point about which the bending moment acts, i.e. rotates. In
the case of an operator
carrying a camera, the point about which the load act, i.e. rotates, is the
spinal column. Thus in
order to minimize this bending moment force that the body of the operator must
support and
counteract, either the load to be supported is to be reduced, or the moment
arm is to be shortened.
As the load to be carried, i.e. the weight of the camera or other equipment,
may not readily be
reduced, it is therefore desirable to reduce the length of the moment arm.
This may be
accomplished by locating the point at which the load is transferred to the
harness to be as close
as possible to the spinal column.
In order to reduce the length of the moment arm, the shape of the human body
may be used
advantageously. As the spinal column is located within the body cavity at a
point closer to the
back than to the front of a person, it may be readily understood that locating
the point at which
the load is to be transferred to the back of the harness or vest may normally
reduce the length of
the moment arm. This may therefore cause the point at which the weight of the
camera is
transferred to the harness to be as close as possible to the axis of the
spinal column. Thus for
example, if a harness comprises a camera attachment point on the front of the
harness, i.e. on the
chest or stomach of an operator, the length of the bending moment arm may, for
example, be 30
centimeters, i.e. the right angle distance between the attachment point on the
front of the harness
to the axis of the spinal column. However, if the anchor point is disposed on
the back of the
harness, i.e. closer to or adjacent the spinal column of the operator, the
bending arm is reduced,
and may, for example, only be 10 centimeters, or 1/3 the bending moment arm of
a front
supported harness. Since, for a given load, there is a direct relation between
the bending moment
and the length of the bending moment arm, a con esponding reduction in the
bending moment
will accompany any reduction in the legth of the bending moment arm. In the
above example,
as a consequence of the shorter bending moment arm, the operator may require
1/3 the effort
otherwise required to keep himself in a straight or upright position. This
difference may
constitute a radical improvement in the serviceability of the harness, and
theoretically may allow
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
the operator to wear the harness three times longer before requiring a break
or pause.
The expression 'means for effecting the tight wrapping of such shell' may be
understood to
comprise any desired or required cinching means, (i.e. a means of providing a
tight grip) such
as for example one or more belt and buckle combination affixed to the outside
of the shell which,
when the belt is pulled, may cause an overlap in part of the shell such that
the circumference of
the shell is reduced thus causing the shell to firmly impinge and firmly and
tightly wrap around
the operator. This tight wrapping (i.e. cinching) engagement of the shell on
the hips and lower
back of the operator may effect the weight transfer of the load i.e. for
example the camera load,
from the shell onto the body of the operator.
In accordance with the present invention, the expression non-articulated
support arm is
understood to mean that the support arm is not hinged, pinned or in any other
way free to rotate,
slide, turn while the operator is wearing the camera support harness. However
this does not mean
that the attachment of the support arm to the anchor plate, if any, may not be
modified so as to
allow different sizes and shapes of the operator or to allow for different
types of equipment to
be carried thereon. For example, the support arm may be provided with a number
of different
attachment positions such that for example in its first attachment position,
it is attached to the
anchor plate such that the anchor arm is disposed close to the side of the
camera support harness.
Alternatively, the support arm may be anchored at a second position, wherein
said support arm
is disposed spaced apart from the side of the support harness.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a prior art harness having a front mounted
camera support;
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the camera support harness in accordance
with the present
invention showing the camera support harness without any attachment means for
illustration
purposes only;
FIG. 3 is a back elevation view of the camera support harness;
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a camera support harness in accordance
with present invention
as worn by a camera operator;
FIG. S is a side elevation view of the camera support harness being worn by a
camera operator;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
With reference to figure 1, there is illustrated a harness or a vest which
typically exemplifies the
harness or vest of the prior art. There is illustrated a harness 1 in use,
wherein a camera operator
3 is wearing a vest 5 draped over and around him. Vest S comprises two
elements 6 and 8 which
are held together by an attachment structure 4. Vest 5 comprises an attachment
point 7 at which
point a camera, or a camera support arm or any other equipment, may be
attached for weight
transfer to vest S and eventually to operator 3. Axis 9 illustrates the
approximate location of the
spinal column of the operator, which is the point about which the camera load
11 will rotate. It
is understood that the spinal column of a human being is not as straight as
illustrated in FIG. 1,
however axis 9 illustrates an approximate location of the pivoting point about
which load 11 may
act on. In accordance with well known and well understood physical principles,
a cantilever like
load 11 causes a bending moment about a point of rotation 15. A bending moment
force is
calculated by multiplying load 11 of the camera acting on axis,12 by moment
arm 10. Moment
arm 10 is the straight line i.e. right angle distance between axis 9 and axis
12 at which load 11
acts. Thus, camera load 11, transferred to a harness or vest configured with a
front loaded anchor
point as illustrated in FIG. 1 will cause a bending moment which will tend to
cause operator 3
to bend over forwardly in the direction of motion arrow 13. This force will
require operator 3
to act, i.e. to push back against load 13 in the direction of motion arrow 14.
Therefore, in order to minimize bending moment 13 one of two things may be
attempted. The
first is to reduce the weight of the camera and therefore reduce load 11.
However, this may be
a constraint that may not be varied. However for a given mass camera, bending
moment 13 may
be substantially reduced by reducing moment arm 10. This may be accomplished
by causing the
CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
fixation points 7 of the camera to be closer to the stomach of the operator,
which has its
limitations, or alternatively the fixation points 7 of the camera may be
disposed on the back of
the vest. Since the spinal column of a human being is closer to the back than
to the front of a
person; this new configuration may accordingly reduce moment arm 10, and
consequently reduce
fending moment 13. Therefore this mechanical advantage which results from a
different
configuration and disposition of the attachment point in accordance with the
present invention,
may therefore result in a drastically reduced effort, exemplified by motion
arrow 14, which the
operator has to exert.
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a camera support harness 20 in
accordance with a general
aspect of the present invention. Camera support harness 20 comprises a vest
21, which vest 21
comprises a back portion 23 and a front portion 24, which front portion 24 is
made up of two
components 25 and 27. As illustrated in FIG. 2, vest 21 does not show any
straps or buckling
means, which may be required to properly and firmly strap the vest 21 to the
operator (not
shown), this omission is for illustration purposes only. Vest 21 is shaped
substantially as a shell,
i.e. a thin walled shell, which may be configured, fabricated or moulded to
fit tightly and snugly
around the body of an operator. A shell is understood to mean an exterior
structure, or exterior
case or outside covering, and may also mean a casing without an interior
substance. Shell may
also understood to mean a hull. The back portion 23 and the front portion 24
of vest 21 may each
be anatomically shaped in such a way that they are adapted to fit closely i.e.
snugly to the front
and rear part of the body and firmly surround the latter, in order to allow
the most efficient load
transfer from vest 21 to the operator. Further, vest 21 may be custom made for
each operator.
Vest 21 comprises an annular like opening 29 configured and disposed to allow
therein the
abdomen, chest or trunk (i.e. lower trunk) of a cameraman. In order for a
cameraman to fit the
harness 20 over his body, he may simply pull apart front portions 25 and 27
and back himself
into the vest 21. Front portions 25 and 27 may then close themselves around
his mid-drift (i.e.
lower abdomen, upper thighs). As may be understood, the back portion 23 of
vest 21 may rest
firmly against the back of the operator while the front portions 25 and 27
wrap around, and
snugly fit over the hips and lower abdomen of the wearer. Vest 21 may be
fabricated with any
known, desired or required material, or combination of materials. For example,
vest 21 may
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
comprise leather interior and exterior surfaces, and may further comprise
padding therebetween.
In addition, fiberglass reinforcement and metal reinforcement may be added for
stiffness. Any
other material may be used, such as Nylon T"', Kevlar T"", etc...
As illustrated in FIG. 2, camera support harness 20 in addition to comprising
a vest 21 further
comprises a support arm 31 which as shown, projects from the back portion 23
of vest 21. As
may be further seen in FIG. 3, 4 and S, support arm 31 may be curved such that
it may
substantially follow the exterior contour of vest 21 and terminate at a point
substantially level
with the side 37 of vest 21. Further, support arm 31 terminates with an
attachment 33 which may
be configured and disposed to attach thereon either a camera, camera arm or
any other equipment
as required or desired. Further, attachment 33 may also include screws, pins,
levers and other
mechanisms to properly effect the attachment thereon of any equipment, and
such mechanisms
may also serve to level and adjust the position of the equipment. As shown in
FIG. 2, support
arm 31 comprises a square or rectangular shaped structure which is shown to be
of a fixed length.
The support arm 31 may be fixed (i.e. permanently fixed) to the back portion
23 of vest 21 such
that said support arm 31 may not be moved or adjusted. However, it is
understood that support
arm 31 may alternatively be configured so as to have any required or desired
shape, and may
further be fitted with means to adjust said support arm 31, i.e. for example,
move it forwardly,
laterally or up and down, in order to allow for different applications, or in
order to allow for
different sized operators to use the camera support harness 20. Further, as
required or desired,
support arm 31 may also be configured on the left hand side of the support
harness 20 for
example, in order to allow a left handed camera operator to use the camera
support harness 20.
Finally, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a
camera support harness
20 may comprise more than one support arm 31 i.e. may comprise a support arm
on each side
of the vest, or may comprise two or more support arms on a one side of the
vest, insofar that each
support arm may be configured and disposed so as to transfer its load,
directly or indirectly to
the lower back portion 23 of vest 21.
As further illustrated in FIG. 2, vest 21 comprises indentations 35 and 39
(not shown) which are
formed adjacent the lower edge 36 and 38 of front portions 25 and 27 to allow
the upward
movement of the operator's leg while the camera support harness 20 is used
during an action
CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
shot. Further, upper edges 32 and 34 of front portions 25 and 27 may be
configured and disposed
so as to substantially wrap around the front portion of an operator such that
the lower abdomen
i.e. around the belt buckle area is covered. However, it is to be understood
that the exact
configuration of vest 21 and of front portions 25 and 27 and their respective
upper edges 32 and
-34 and lower edges 36 and 38 may vary in accordance with the size and shape
of the operator,
and further may be modified to suit any particular application. It is
understood that the exact
configuration of vest 21 may not be of critical importance as long as the
weight transfer of the
camera is effected to camera support harness 20 at the lower back portion of
vest 21, for transfer
to the operator at his lower back, hips and pelvic area.
FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the camera support harness 20 showing vest
21 and support arm
31 projecting laterally and outwardly on the right hand side thereof. Further,
vest 21 is shown
comprising an anchor plate 39 which anchor plate may be firmly affixed to back
portion 23 of
vest 21. Anchor plate 39 may be firmly affixed to vest 21 such that it is
visible, i.e. such that it
shows on the outside of back portion 23 or may conversely be embedded inside
back portion 23
of vest 21 such that it may not show or at least may not completely show there
through. As
illustrated in Figure 3, anchor plate 39 comprises a metal plate which may be
perforated with
a series of pre-drilled holes 41 therein. As may be further seen, support arm
31 may also
comprises a series of perforated holes 43 therein, which may be configured and
disposed to
match the hole pattern 41 of the anchor plate 39. Therefore, support arm 31
may be releasably
affixed to anchor plate 39 at a variety of locations, therefore allowing the
wearer of the camera
support harness 20 to adj ust the location of the support arm 31 in accordance
with his needs, size,
or other requirements. For example, support arm could be disposed lower down
along anchor
plate 39, or alternatively further up along anchor plate 39. Further, support
arm 31 may be
disposed such that it project fiuther outwardly away from side portion 37 of
the vest 21. The
use of tap screws and other such screwing mechanisms may allow for the support
arm 31 to be
moved and adjusted to a different position rather quickly, and such adjustment
may even be
performed while the wearer is wearing support harness 20.
Anchor plate 39 may be firmly affixed to back portion 23 of vest 21 in any
number of ways. For
example, anchor plate my be sewed into the interior lining or material and/or
sewed to the
exterior covering of the vest 21. The use of rivets, or other structural
attachment components
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
common to the clothing industry may also be used. In addition, if harness 20
comprises
fiberglass, or other types of reinforcements, whether internal or external,
anchor plate 39 may
also be affixed to this reinforcement. It is understood that the configuration
and disposition of
anchor plate 39 may be such that it may transfer the weight of the camera to
the vest 21, such that
.the vest 21 may then transfer the weight to the operator.
Although illustrated in FIG. 3 as being substantially disposed in the center
of back portion 23,
anchor plate 39 may be disposed substantially anywhere on back portion 23.
Further, although
only one anchor plate is shown in FIG. 3, it is understood that two or more
anchor plates may be
used instead of single anchor plate 39. In accordance with further embodiment
of the present
invention, anchor plate 39 may be disposed at a location other than centrally
disposed along back
portion 23. For example, anchor plate 39 may be disposed substantially to
right as illustrated in
FIG. 3, and for example may be anchored to side of portion 37 of vest 21.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, vest 21 comprises a back portion 23 which may extend
from
substantially the buttocks area of an operator (not shown) up to (close to)
his shoulders.
However it may be understood that the back portion 23 of vest 21 may not be as
long as
illustrated in FIG. 3; and may for example only cover substantially the lower
lumbar portion of
the operator. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the support arm 31 may extend
from the back
portion 23 of vest 21 outwardly towards the right of the wearer and may also
curve forwardly.
However, support arm 31 may not curve forwardly at all.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the camera support harness 20 being worn by a
camera operator
S0. As shown, the front portion 24 comprising components 25 and 27 are all
shown to be
wrapped around the front lower abdomen S 1 of operator 50. Further, components
25 and 27 are
shown to be bucked together by straps 45 and buckles 47. As shown, straps 45
and buckle 47
are shown to be standard belt and buckle type attachment means, but it is
understood that any
other alternative attachment means may be used, in addition to, or instead of
the belt and buckle
shown. An example of an alternative embodiment may be, for example, a quick
release
attachment means such as for example, a strap comprising VelcroT"'.
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CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
As further illustrated in FIG. 4, camera support harness 20 may comprise over-
the-shoulder
straps 53 which may be attached to section 25 and 27 of the front portion 24
and to the back
portion 23 (not shown) of vest 21. Straps 53 may be of a fixed length, or may
include belt
buckles and other attachment means such that their length may be modified.
Further, they may
fie removably attached to the vest 21. It is understood that snaps 53 may
provide the camera
support harness 20 with additional support and rigidity.
FIG. S is a side elevation view of a camera support harness 20 as worn by an
operator 50. As
may be seen, camera support harness 20 comprises a vest 21 which vest 21
comprises a back
portion 23 and a front portion 24 which comprises two components 25 and 27
(not shown).
Lower edge 36 of vest 21 is shown as coming to rest on the hips 59 and upper
buttocks 57 of
operator 50. As may be understood, this area of the body, known as the pelvis
may be the widest
part of a person's body (save for his shoulders), and may therefore be the
best suited for
supporting loads. As may further be seen, back portion 23 extends from the
upper buttocks 57
to the shoulders 58 and portion 25 wraps around the side and the front of the
upper hips 59 of the
operator 50. Straps 45 and buckles 47 (not shown) may securely and snugly fit
vest 21 about the
lower trunk 51 of the operator 50.
Camera support harness 20 further comprises a camera support arm 31 which is
anchored to
anchor plate 39. Anchor plate 39 is fixed to back portion 23 adjacent lower
edge 36 of back
portion 23. Axis 52 represents the approximate location of spinal column of
the operator 50 and
represents the point about which any bending moments caused by the load of the
camera acting
on the support arm 31 may act. The bending moment arm is represented by
distance 56, and as
may be seen from a comparison with Figure 1, distance 56 is significantly
smaller than distance
10; meaning that for a similar camera load, the force that an operator will
have to exert is
proportionally smaller with the back mounted harness.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, vest 21 of
the camera support
harness 20 may comprise a one pipe shell. Thus as may be understood, the one
piece shell may
comprise a substantially tube- like structure, wherein said tube-like
structure it is truncated at a
more or less 90° angle on the bottom thereof, and truncated at an angle
at the top portion thereof.
13
CA 02288554 1999-11-OS
Thus in accordance with this embodiment, there may not be a break along a
longitudinal surface,
meaning that front portion 24 may not be divided into two components 25 and
27. Thus in
accordance with this particular embodiment, an operator would have to slip his
body through one
or the other of the opposed openings 29 in the shell, slide the shell to its
required position along
-his hips 59 and lower back 57, and then cinch the shell with an appropriate
cinching mechanism
such that the shell may firmly and tightly wrap itself around his lower trunk,
i.e. lower abdomen
and hip area.
It is understood that a 'rigid' shell may mean a shell that is stiff, namely
that is able to support
loads, yet at the same time may flexible, i.e. may be able to fit to and
conform itself to the shape
of a cameraman.
14
