Support system and mounting of camera thereon

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a support system for mounting a wearable camera to a shirt placket, such as for the mounting of a camera to the uniform of a law enforcement officer. The support system is configured to attach to at least a first button on the placket and a second button on the placket and is configured to provide a mounting surface located between the first button and the second button. The support system may also comprise a stability-enhancing feature that provides the mounting surface with a structural integrity that is sufficient for a stable mounting of a wearable camera. The support structure of the present disclosure prevents tilting or displacement of the wearable camera, thereby ensuring that the camera remains correctly positioned to capture a representative image.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A support system for mounting a camera to a shirt, the support system comprising
 a fabric strip having a front panel and rear panel, the front panel and rear panel being arranged to provide the fabric strip with an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;   a first aperture configured to attach to a first button; and   a second aperture configured to attach to a second button;   the fabric strip being configured to attach to each of a first button and a second button on a placket of a shirt and to provide a mounting surface between the first button and the second button, the mounting surface being configured to support a wearable camera.   
     
     
         2 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the fabric strip comprises a stability-enhancing feature. 
     
     
         3 . The support system of  claim 2 , in which the stability-enhancing feature comprises a lining between at least a portion of the front panel and a portion of the rear panel. 
     
     
         4 . The support system of  claim 3 , in which the lining is selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, nylon, viscose, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The support system of  claim 2 , in which the stability-enhancing feature comprises an insert. 
     
     
         6 . The support system of  claim 4 , in which the insert is selected from the group consisting of plastic, silicone, rubber, metal, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the fabric strip is made of a semi-rigid material. 
     
     
         8 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the first aperture and the second aperture are configured to attach to adjacent buttons on the placket. 
     
     
         9 . The support system of  claim 3 , in which the distance between the first aperture and the second aperture is between about three inches and about four inches. 
     
     
         10 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the first side edge is configured to substantially align with the edge of the placket. 
     
     
         11 . The support system of  claim 10 , in which the second side edge is configured to substantially align with the seam of the placket. 
     
     
         12 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which at least the front panel of the fabric strip is made of a material that is configured to match the material of the shirt. 
     
     
         13 . The support system of  claim 1 , further comprising an elastic strap located on the rear panel. 
     
     
         14 . The support system of  claim 13 , in which the elastic strap is configured to increase the tautness of the fabric strip when support structure is attached to each of the first button and the second button. 
     
     
         15 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the support system is machine-washable. 
     
     
         16 . The support system of  claim 1 , in which the support system is configured to be removably attached to the placket without requiring any modification to the shirt. 
     
     
         17 . A method for mounting a wearable camera on a shirt comprising
 attaching the support system of  claim 1  to at least a first button and a second button on the placket of the shirt, and   affixing the camera to the mounting surface provided between the first button and the second button to provide a stable mounting of the camera on the shirt.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , in which affixing the camera to the mounting surface comprises inserting the mounting surface between two portions of a clip. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , in which a back portion of the clip is placed between the rear panel and an elastic strap located on the rear panel. 
     
     
         20 . A support system for mounting a camera to a shirt placket, the support system being configured to attach to at least a first button on the placket and a second button on the placket to provide a mounting surface that is located between the first button and the second button, the mounting surface comprising a stability-enhancing feature.