Phone Camera Stick With Toy Mount for Solo Animal Photography

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Solution Overview

Problem

Photographers require close coordination with an assistant to ensure an animal is in the camera's field of view while avoiding being in the shot, which is difficult to execute consistently.

Innovation Solution

A camera stick apparatus with a phone cradle and attachment arm that holds an animal toy, allowing a photographer to capture images of animals at play without an assistant, ensuring the toy is in the camera's view.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If an assistant is used to entertain or engage the animal, then the photographer can capture images of the animal at play, but the coordination between the photographer and assistant becomes complex and difficult to execute consistently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to capture animal imagesVSAvoidcoordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the toy and camera mounting system into a single integrated apparatus. The toy has an attachment mechanism that directly mounts the camera, eliminating the need for separate assistant coordination and merging the functions of animal engagement and image capture into one device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The apparatus enables the photographer to independently engage the animal and capture images without requiring an assistant. The self-contained design with integrated toy and camera mounting allows the photographer to perform both functions simultaneously, making the system self-sufficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If the assistant holds the toy separately from the camera, then the animal can be engaged, but ensuring the toy remains in the camera's field of view requires constant monitoring and adjustment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of capturing imagesVSAvoidconsistency of toy in field of view

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The camera is directly mounted to the toy apparatus, creating a fixed spatial relationship between the toy and camera. This ensures the toy remains within the camera's field of view by design, eliminating the need for constant monitoring and adjustment while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the assistant is positioned close to the camera to coordinate, then communication is easier, but the assistant may accidentally enter the field of view and be captured in the image

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoordination easeVSAvoidassistant in field of view

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated apparatus eliminates the need for an assistant by enabling the photographer to independently operate both the animal engagement and image capture functions. This removes the harmful factor of the assistant potentially entering the field of view while maintaining ease of operation through the self-contained design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20260029695A1Apparatus for Photographing Animals

Publication Date: 2026.01.29 OHARE KATHRYN G

AI summary

A camera stick apparatus for holding an object such as an animal toy in the field of view of a camera is described. In one embodiment the camera stick is has an upper stick portion and a lower stick portion coupled to a phone clamp, the phone clamp is adapted to cradle a phone having a phone camera. An attachment arm coupled with the camera stick portion of the camera sick has a first coupling portion, the first coupling portion may be adapted to couple with a second coupling portion of an apparatus adapted to hold an object such as the animal toy substantially in the field of view of the camera.