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The Tiffen Company LLC

Francis Kenny

Jarred Land

Robert T Stone

Hans Robert Orf

Dennis Emer

Sallyanne Massimini

A mounting head, a system incorporating the mounting head and a support such as a monopod, and a system including the mounting head, the monopod, and a camera enable a photographer to tilt a monopod or other camera support while maintaining a substantially level horizon of an image. An upper head assembly and a lower head assembly are connectable to the camera and the monopod respectively. The assemblies are interconnected by a universal joint which allows the upper assembly to remain level as roll and pitch vary. A resilient member dampens relative motion of the head assemblies. As a photographer moves the camera to capture a scene, force is transmitted from the photographer's hands via the mounting head through the monopod. The photographer maintains a level horizon as the monopod tilts. A test apparatus enables design of a resilient member for desired interaction with selected classes of equipment.

Device and system for maintaining a level horizon of a supported camera

A monopod includes an elongated housing and a pneumatic actuator having a cylinder bounding a compartment in which a pressurized fluid and/or gas is contained, and an elongated piston having a piston head mounted in the compartment and a piston rod movable along a longitudinal axis through an upper open end of the housing when the pressurized fluid is released. A support for a portable device, such as a camera, is mounted on the piston rod exteriorly of the housing. A foot-operated control is mounted on the housing adjacent its base. The control is movable by pressure exerted by a user's foot to a control position in which the pressurized fluid and/or gas is released to jointly move the piston rod and the support to an adjustable elevation relative to the base.

Pneumatic foot-operated monopod

Growing community of inventors

Santa Monica, CA, United States of America

Francis Kenny