Tripod for camera equipment

Abstract

A kind of camera equipment with tripod, including installation platform, base and locking mechanism, the locking mechanism includes mutually embedded support rod and sliding groove lock, connecting with the lock pin of support rod and with the sliding groove lock cooperation, between the base and the sliding groove lock elastic member and the driving element connected to the support rod, the installation platform is equipped with universal ball, the universal ball with the installation platform can be relatively rotated, the locking mechanism is configured to be by pressing the driving element, the lock pin is positioned to first fixed position or second fixed position relative to the sliding groove lock moves, at the first fixed position, the sliding groove lock makes universal ball and the installation platform relative fixed, at the second fixed position, the sliding groove lock releases the fixing of universal ball and the installation platform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of camera equipment, specifically to a tripod for camera equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In today's videography industry, tripods are a very common support device for video equipment, offering the advantage of portability. To accommodate rotating shots, close-up / long-range shooting, and dynamic tracking shots, most tripods on the market allow for free swinging around a support point. However, for extended periods of static shooting, the tripod needs to be fixed in place, necessitating a locking mechanism to switch between free swing and locked states. Currently, most locking mechanisms on the market use screw locking, which is time-consuming and cumbersome, unable to achieve a perfect lock in one step. This becomes particularly cumbersome and time-consuming when frequently switching between free swing and locked states, potentially even causing missed shooting opportunities. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above, this application provides a tripod for driving camera equipment, used to support camera equipment, including a mounting platform, a base, and a locking mechanism connected between the mounting platform and the base. The locking mechanism is used to lock or unlock the universal ball and the mounting platform relative to each other, including a support rod and a sliding guide lock nested on the support rod, a latch connected to the support rod and cooperating with the sliding guide lock, an elastic member for abutting the sliding guide lock, and a driving member for driving the sliding guide lock to move. The peripheral wall of the sliding guide lock is recessed with a guide groove along the base thickness direction. The guide groove has a first fixed position and a second fixed position. The latch is in the shape of a slender rod, and the end of the latch is always engaged in the guide groove of the sliding guide lock. The locking mechanism is configured to move the latch relative to the sliding guide lock and position it to the first fixed position or the second fixed position by pressing the driving member. At the first fixed position, the top end of the sliding guide lock abuts and is fixed to the mounting platform. At the second fixed position, the sliding guide lock is released from fixing the mounting platform.

[0004] In some embodiments, the omnidirectional ball is fixed to the top of the support rod, and the mounting platform has a receiving cavity formed at the bottom center of the locking mechanism to receive the omnidirectional ball therein. An inclined limiting surface is formed around the periphery of the receiving cavity, and a top abutting surface that cooperates with the limiting surface is formed at the top of the sliding guide lock. The limiting surface and the abutting surface abut against each other.

[0005] In some embodiments, the slide guide lock is a cylindrical body, including a main body and an extension protruding from the middle of the main body. A step is formed at the connection between the main body and the extension for the drive member to abut against. The top of the extension away from the main body forms the abutting surface.

[0006] In some embodiments, the extension is provided with a longitudinally elongated groove along its length direction, the drive member is pivotally connected to the support rod via a pivot shaft, the pivot shaft passes sequentially through the drive member, the groove of the extension of the groove guide lock sleeved on the support rod, and the support rod, and when the groove guide lock is moved by the elastic member, the pivot shaft can slide up and down along the groove.

[0007] In some embodiments, the elastic element is sleeved on the support rod and one end is housed within the main body portion for elastically abutting against the main body portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, the locking pin includes a fixing part and a hook, the fixing part being pivotally connected to the support rod, and the hook being received within the slide guide lock for engaging with it.

[0009] In some embodiments, the guide groove is formed on the inner surface of the slide guide lock, and the guide groove has a first temporary limit and a second temporary limit set at intervals toward the top of the mounting platform. A positioning point is formed below the first temporary limit and the second temporary limit, and the hook can abut against the first temporary limit and the second temporary limit or hook with the positioning point.

[0010] In some embodiments, the longitudinal sections of both the first temporary limit and the second temporary limit are inverted V-shapes, and the openings of both face the first direction, with the top of the second temporary limit extending beyond the top of the first temporary limit.

[0011] In some embodiments, the guide groove further includes a Y-shaped portion, the two top ends of which are connected to the first temporary limit and the second temporary limit respectively, and the top end connected to the first temporary limit is located above the top end connected to the second temporary limit.

[0012] In some embodiments, the longitudinal section of the positioning point is V-shaped, and its opening faces the opposite direction to the first and second temporary limiting points.

[0013] In some embodiments, a locking assembly for locking with the omnidirectional ball is further included. The outer wall of the mounting platform is provided with a receiving groove. The locking assembly includes a locking sleeve sleeved around the periphery of the mounting platform, a locking block movably disposed in the receiving groove, and a locking member disposed at one end of the omnidirectional ball. The inner side of the locking block can protrude from the receiving groove into the mounting platform and abut against the locking member. The locking assembly is configured to drive the locking sleeve to move longitudinally along the mounting platform, thereby pushing the locking block inward, and causing the locking block to press upward against the locking member until the locking member locks the omnidirectional ball.

[0014] In some embodiments, a spring member is further included for providing an outward elastic force to the locking block. The spring member is received in the receiving groove, with one end abutting against the groove wall of the receiving groove and the other end abutting against the corresponding locking block.

[0015] In some embodiments, the locking sleeve is a circumferentially continuous ring, and includes a locking section and a guide section along its axial direction. The locking section is used to move up and down along the mounting platform. The guide section extends upward from the top of the locking section, and its inner diameter gradually increases from the bottom end connected to the locking section to the top end. A gap is formed between the inner surface of the guide section of the locking sleeve and the outer surface of the mounting plane, and the width of the gap gradually increases from bottom to top.

[0016] In some embodiments, the locking block includes a connecting segment and a pushing segment extending upward from the connecting segment, the connecting segment being received within the receiving groove, and the pushing segment having a pushing surface inclined toward the locking member, the pushing surface extending upward and outward from the bottom end toward the connecting segment to abut against the locking member.

[0017] In some embodiments, the push segment is located above the receiving groove, its bottom surface is connected to the top surface of the connecting segment, its outer side protrudes from the receiving groove and is located in the gap between the locking sleeve and the mounting platform, the outer side of the push segment faces the inner surface of the guide segment, its top surface is connected to the top of the outer side and the push surface, and the inner end of the push segment extends beyond the inner end of the connecting segment.

[0018] In some embodiments, the locking member has a locking surface facing the omnidirectional ball and a mating surface for engaging with the pushing surface of the locking block. The locking surface is adapted to the omnidirectional ball for attaching to the omnidirectional ball, and the mating surface extends outward and upward from the bottom end.

[0019] In some embodiments, the locking member is annular with an inner diameter that gradually decreases from top to bottom. The opening at the bottom of the locking member is smaller than the diameter of the universal ball, so that the universal ball can be partially accommodated within the locking member without disengaging from the opening. The mating surface is formed on the bottom outer wall of the locking member and extends radially outward and upward from the center of the locking member to mate with the inclined pushing surfaces of the locking member and the locking block.

[0020] In some embodiments, a pad is further included fixed to the bottom end of the omnidirectional ball, and the locking member is attached to the outside of the pad.

[0021] In some embodiments, the locking sleeve further includes a limiting member fixed to the bottom end of the mounting platform to prevent the locking sleeve from unscrewing from the mounting platform.

[0022] In some embodiments, a protective sleeve is also included, which is fitted over the middle of the outer surface of the locking sleeve.

[0023] In this application, the operator can press the drive component to cycle between locking and unlocking (i.e., rotating and swinging), which is convenient, simple and quick to operate. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the tripod of a camera device in the locked state according to an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the camera equipment in an unlocked state with the tripod in the image.

[0026] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows an exploded view of the camera equipment tripod.

[0027] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the assembly of the camera equipment using a tripod.

[0028] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the sliding guide lock of the tripod used for video equipment.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a camera tripod in another embodiment of this application, showing the locking sleeve and the universal ball in a locked state when the tripod is not locked.

[0030] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the camera equipment tripod when the locking sleeve and the omnidirectional ball are in the unlocked state.

[0031] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The image shows a magnified view of the locking sleeve and the universal ball when they are not locked.

[0032] Figure 9 yes Figure 6 The diagram shows an exploded view of the tripod used for camera equipment.

[0033] Figure 10 yes Figure 6 A 3D diagram showing one of the usage states of a tripod for camera equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so as to make the technical solution and its beneficial effects clearer. It should be understood that the drawings are provided for reference and illustration only, and are not intended to limit the present application. The dimensions shown in the drawings are only for the purpose of clear description and do not limit the scale relationship.

[0035] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A tripod for video equipment is provided for supporting video equipment, such as camcorders and cameras. The tripod includes a mounting platform 500, a base 300 spaced apart from the mounting platform 500, and a locking mechanism 100 connecting the mounting platform 500 and the base 300. In this embodiment, the mounting platform 500 can be connected by a connecting rod 91 (see...). Figure 10 The device can be connected to a gimbal to form a monopod, or directly connected to a gimbal to form a low-profile structure. The locking mechanism 100 includes a support rod 10, a sliding guide lock 30 sleeved on the support rod 10, a locking pin 40 connected to the support rod and cooperating with the sliding guide lock 30, an elastic element 50 located between the base 300 and the sliding guide lock 30, and a driving element 60 pivotally connected to the support rod 10. One end of the support rod 10 is rotatably connected to the mounting platform 500 via a universal ball joint 20. The locking mechanism 100 is configured such that by pressing the driving element 60, the locking pin 40 moves relative to the sliding guide lock 30 and is positioned to a first fixed position or a second fixed position. At the first fixed position, the top end of the sliding guide lock 30 abuts and is fixed to the mounting platform 500. At the second fixed position, the sliding guide lock 30 is released from fixation.

[0036] The top end of the support rod 10 is fixedly connected to the universal ball 20, and is connected to the mounting platform 500 through the universal ball 20. The universal ball 20 is movably housed within the mounting platform 500, allowing the mounting platform 500 to be rotatably connected to the locking mechanism 100.

[0037] Pressing down the driving member 60 causes it to press against or move away from the sliding guide lock 30, thereby causing the sliding guide lock 30 to slide up and down along the support rod 10 and elastically resist the elastic member 50. When the sliding guide lock 30 moves to its top and abuts against the mounting platform 500, the locking pin 40 slides within the sliding guide lock 30 to the first fixed position. At this time, the stand is in a locked state. When the sliding guide lock 30 is released, the locking pin 40 slides within the sliding guide lock 30 to the second fixed position. At this time, the stand is in a rotatable swinging state. The operator can cycle between locking and unlocking (i.e., rotatable swinging) the stand by pressing the driving member 60, which is convenient, simple and quick to operate. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 10 is a locking mechanism, that is, the locking mechanism 10 can be locked in a vertical orientation state. Specifically, when the base 300 is supported on the ground, in the locked state of the locking mechanism 10, the locking mechanism 10 is oriented approximately vertically, that is, extends approximately perpendicular to the ground. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the driving member 60 is a foot pedal.

[0038] Specifically, the mounting platform 500 has a recessed receiving cavity 501 at its bottom center facing the locking mechanism 100, for receiving the universal ball 20 therein. Preferably, the receiving cavity 501 is generally spherical to match the shape of the universal ball 20. The bottom end of the receiving cavity 501 is opposite to the top end of the sliding guide lock 30. An inclined limiting surface 503 is formed around the bottom periphery of the receiving cavity 501, and the top end of the sliding guide lock 30 has an abutting surface 331 that mates with the limiting surface 503, and the limiting surface 503 can abut against the abutting surface 331.

[0039] Specifically, the limiting surface 503 is an annular surface that surrounds and forms a cavity communicating with the receiving cavity 501. Preferably, the limiting surface 503 is a truncated conical surface, and the diameter of the cavity gradually increases along the vertical direction toward the locking mechanism 100, that is, the cavity forms a trumpet-shaped opening. Please refer to further details. Figures 3 to 5The sliding guide lock 30 is a cylindrical body, including a main body 31 and an extension 33 protruding from the center of the top surface of the main body 31. The diameter of the extension 33 is smaller than the diameter of the main body 31. A step 35 is formed at the connection between the main body 31 and the extension 33 for the drive member 60 to abut against. The top end of the extension 33 away from the main body 31 forms the abutment surface 331. The abutment surface 331 is an annular surface and surrounds a cavity. Preferably, the abutment surface 331 is an inclined surface, and the diameter of the top end of the extension 33 forming the abutment surface 331 gradually increases from the top end downwards, that is, the top end of the extension 33 is slightly converging. The outer diameter of the abutment surface 331 is larger than the minimum diameter of the opening of the limiting surface 503 and smaller than the maximum diameter of the opening, thereby ensuring that the abutment surface 331 and the limiting surface 503 can abut against each other.

[0040] The extension 33 is provided with a longitudinally elongated groove 333 along its length. The driving member 60 is pivotally connected to the support rod 10 via a pivot shaft 70. The pivot shaft 70 passes sequentially through the driving member 60 and the groove 333 of the extension 33 of the groove guide lock 30, and when the groove guide lock 30 is moved by the elastic member 50, the pivot shaft 70 can slide up and down along the groove 333. In this embodiment, the driving member 60 has two spaced-apart mounting arms, which are located on opposite sides of the support rod 10. After the pivot shaft 70 passes sequentially through one mounting arm, the support rod 10, and the groove 333, it enters the other mounting arm. It is understood that in other embodiments, the number of mounting arms is one.

[0041] Please also refer to Figure 5 The inner surface of the sliding guide lock 30 is formed with a guide groove 335. The guide groove 335 has a first temporary stop 3351 and a second temporary stop 3353 spaced apart on the top of the mounting platform 500. A positioning point 3355 is formed below the first temporary stop 3351 and the second temporary stop 3353. The locking pin 40 slides along the guide groove 335 and can abut against the first temporary stop 3351 and the second temporary stop 3353 or hook onto the positioning point 3355.

[0042] The longitudinal sections of both the first temporary stop 3351 and the second temporary stop 3353 are inverted V-shapes, with the openings of both V-shapes tilted downwards and facing the first direction. The top of the second temporary stop 3353 extends beyond the top of the first temporary stop 3351. The positioning point 3355 is located below the connection between the first temporary stop 3351 and the second temporary stop 3353, and is relatively closer to the side of the second temporary stop 3353. The longitudinal section of the positioning point 3355 is approximately V-shaped, with its opening facing upwards and towards the second direction. The first and second directions are opposite.

[0043] The bottom portion of the guide groove 335 connecting the first temporary limit 3351 and the second temporary limit 3353 has a Y-shaped longitudinal section. Its top two ends are respectively connected to the first temporary limit 3351 and the second temporary limit 3353, and the end connected to the first temporary limit 3351 is located above the end connected to the second temporary limit 3353.

[0044] The elastic element 50 is sleeved on the support rod 10 and one end is housed within the main body 31. The elastic element 50 is used to elastically abut against the main body 31. In this embodiment, the elastic element 50 is a spring.

[0045] The locking pin 40 includes a fixing part 41, a connecting part 43 extending from the fixing part 41, and a hook 45 located at one end of the connecting part 43. The fixing part 41 is pivotally connected to the support rod 10. The hook 45 is received within the sliding guide lock 30 and is used for hooking with it. The locking pin 40 can be formed by bending a linear material. In this embodiment, the fixing part 41 is annular and is pivotally connected to the support rod 10 by a screw 80 and can rotate relative to the screw 80. The hook 45 and the fixing part 41 are located at opposite ends of the connecting part 43 and are set at an angle. The hook 45 is used to cooperate with the guide groove 335.

[0046] The base 300 includes a main body 301 that connects to the support rod 10 and a plurality of legs 303 disposed around the periphery of the main body 301. In this embodiment, there are three legs 303, and the three legs 303 are evenly distributed circumferentially.

[0047] In this application, the slide guide lock 30 is pushed upward by the elastic force of the elastic member 50 towards the mounting platform 500. When the abutting surface 331 on the extension 33 abuts and is fixed to the limiting surface 503 on the mounting platform 500, the hook 45 of the locking pin 40 slides along the slide guide lock 30 to the first fixed position. The hook 45 is located at the Y-shaped bottom of the guide groove 335. At this time, the mounting platform 500 is locked and cannot rotate or swing.

[0048] When the operator presses down on the drive member 60, the drive member 60 presses down on the plane of the step 35 on the slide guide lock 30, driving the slide guide lock 30 to slide downward along the support rod 10. The hook 45 moves relative to the guide groove 335 along the bottom of the Y-shape to the upper right to the first temporary limit position 3351. At this time, because the hook 45 abuts against the top of the first temporary limit position 3351, the slide guide lock 30 cannot continue to move downward, that is, the drive member 60 cannot continue to move downward, and the operator completes one drive. At this time, the elastic member 50 is compressed by the slide guide lock 30. Then the operator releases the drive component 60. At this time, the slide guide lock 30 moves upward under the upward elastic force of the elastic component 50. The hook 45 moves downward from the first temporary limit point 3351 along the slide 333 relative to the guide groove 335 to the bottom positioning point 3355 and abuts against the bottom of the positioning point 3355. At this time, due to the force on the hook 45, the slide guide lock 30 cannot continue to move upward and is fixed here. At this time, the slide guide lock 30 separates from the mounting platform 500, the lock of the mounting platform 500 is released, and the mounting platform 500 can rotate and swing around the center of the universal ball 20.

[0049] When the operator presses the drive component 60 again, the drive component 60 moves downward to press the plane of the step 35 on the slide guide lock 30, driving the slide guide lock 30 to slide downward. The hook 45 moves along the guide groove 335 from the positioning point 3355 to the second temporary limit point 3353 and abuts against the top of the second temporary limit point 3353. At this time, because the hook 45 is under force, the slide guide lock 30 cannot continue to move downward, that is, the drive component 60 cannot continue to move downward, that is, the operator completes one drive of the drive component 60. When the operator releases the drive component 60, the slide guide lock 30 continues to move upward under the upward elastic force of the elastic element 50. The hook 45 moves downward along the guide groove 335 from the second temporary limit point 3353 to the bottom of the Y-shaped slide groove 333. At this time, the abutting surface 331 on the slide guide lock 30 abuts and is fixed against the limiting surface 503 on the mounting platform 500. The mounting platform 500 is locked and cannot rotate. The hook 45 is located at the bottom of the Y-shape and is not under force. In this application, the operator presses the drive component 60 repeatedly, and the hook 45 makes a limiting movement relative to the guide groove 335, so that the tripod can quickly switch between upright locking and rotating swing without using both hands. The operation is convenient, simple and fast.

[0050] Please see Figures 6 to 9Another embodiment of the camera tripod in this application is similar to the camera tripod in the previous embodiment, except that this embodiment further includes a locking component 700. The locking component 700 is slidably sleeved on the periphery of the mounting platform 500 and is used to interact with the omnidirectional ball 20a. When the tripod is in the unlocked state, the mounting platform 500 can swing relative to the omnidirectional ball 20a, and the locking component 700 is used to lock the omnidirectional ball 20a at the required angle, thereby fixing the mounting platform 500 relative to the omnidirectional ball 20a and thus fixing the mounting platform 500 in a specific position.

[0051] Specifically, the mounting platform 500 has an external thread on its bottom outer peripheral surface facing the locking mechanism, forming a threaded segment 502. A receiving groove 504 is formed by a radial inward recess in the middle of the outer surface of the mounting platform 500 of the threaded segment 502. In this embodiment, the receiving groove 504 is located within the threaded segment 502.

[0052] The locking assembly 700 includes a locking block 705 partially movably housed in the receiving groove 504, a locking sleeve 703 sleeved on and threadedly connected to the bottom end of the mounting platform 500, and a locking member 707 disposed within the receiving cavity 501 of the mounting platform 500 and located at the bottom end of the universal ball 20a. The inner side of the locking block 705 can protrude from the receiving groove 504 into the mounting platform 500 and abut against the locking member 707. The locking assembly 700 is configured such that by driving the locking sleeve 707 to move longitudinally along the mounting platform 500, the locking block 705 is pushed inward, thereby causing the locking block 705 to press upward against the locking member 707 until the locking member 707 locks the universal ball 20a.

[0053] Specifically, the mounting platform 500 has a through-hole in the area where the receiving groove 504 is located. The inner portion of the locking block 705 can extend into the receiving cavity 501 through the receiving groove 504, and the inner portion of the locking block 705 extending into the receiving cavity 501 is located below the locking member 707. The outer side of the locking block 705 protrudes radially from the receiving groove 504. Rotating the locking sleeve 703 causes it to move upward along the bottom end of the mounting platform 500, thereby pushing the locking block 705 inward, and causing the locking block 705 to press upward against the locking member 707 until the locking member 707 locks the universal ball 20a. In this way, the mounting platform 500 is fixed relative to the universal ball 20a.

[0054] Preferably, the locking assembly 700 of this embodiment further includes a spring element 701, which provides an outward elastic force to the locking block 705 to help the locking block 705 reset when it is released. In this embodiment, the spring element 701 is disposed in the receiving groove 504, with one end abutting against the groove wall of the receiving groove 504 and the other end abutting against the corresponding locking block 705. In this embodiment, the spring element 701 is a helical spring.

[0055] In this embodiment, the locking sleeve 703 is a continuous circumferential ring. The locking sleeve 703 includes a locking section 7031 and a guide section 7033 along its axial direction. The locking section 7031 has a uniform inner diameter, and its inner surface is provided with an internal thread for engaging with the external thread of the mounting platform 500. The guide section 7033 extends upward from the top of the locking section 7031, and its inner diameter gradually increases from the bottom end connected to the locking section 7031 to the top end. Thus, the inner surface of the guide section 7033 is a tapered surface that slopes upward and outward. When the locking sleeve 703 is assembled to the periphery of the mounting platform 500, a gap 7034 is formed between the inner surface of the guide section 7033 and the outer surface of the mounting plane 500. Because the inner surface of the guide section 7033 is a sloped surface, the width of this gap 7034 gradually increases from bottom to top.

[0056] It is understood that in other embodiments, the locking sleeve 703 may also be configured as a spaced arc-shaped piece, as long as it can cooperate with the locking block 705.

[0057] To protect the locking sleeve 703 and improve the operator's feel, preferably, a protective sleeve 708 can be fitted over the locking sleeve 703. The protective sleeve 708 is a leather sleeve or a plastic sleeve.

[0058] The locking block 705 includes a connecting section 7051 and a pushing section 7053 extending upward from the connecting section 7051. The connecting section 7051 is received within the receiving groove 504 and abuts against the corresponding elastic member 701. In this embodiment, the connecting section 7051 is generally square.

[0059] To more securely connect the elastic member 701, in this embodiment, preferably, the mounting platform 500 has a further recessed connection hole 505 at the bottom of the receiving groove 504. The connection hole 505 is a blind hole, and the inner surface of the connecting section 7051 is also recessed with a receiving hole 7052. The opposite ends of the elastic member 701 are respectively received in the connection hole 505 and the receiving hole 7052. In other embodiments, a fixing post can also be provided at the bottom of the receiving groove 504 and / or on the connecting section 7051 of the locking block 705, and the end of the elastic member 701 is sleeved on the fixing post to form a stable connection and positioning.

[0060] The pushing segment 7053 has a pushing surface 7054 inclined towards the locking member 707. The pushing surface 7054 extends upward and outward from the bottom end of the connecting segment 7051 to abut against the locking member 707. In this embodiment, the pushing segment 7053 is generally a wedge-shaped block located above the receiving groove 504, opposite to the through hole. The bottom surface of the pushing segment 7053 connects to the top surface of the connecting segment 7051, and its outer side protrudes from the receiving groove 504 and is located within the gap 7034 between the locking sleeve 703 and the mounting platform 500. The outer surface of the pushing segment 7053 faces the inner surface of the guide segment 7033, and its top surface connects the outer surface to the top end of the pushing surface 7054. The inner end of the pushing segment 7053 extends beyond the inner end of the connecting segment 7051. In this embodiment, the width of the bottom surface of the pushing segment 7053 is greater than the width of the connecting segment 7051. Specifically, the width of the pushing section 7053 gradually decreases from bottom to top. Therefore, when the locking sleeve 703 is rotated to move it upward, the inclined inner surface of the guide section 7033 of the locking sleeve 703 abuts against the locking block 705 inward, thereby causing the locking block 705 to move radially inward to push the locking member 707 upward.

[0061] In this embodiment, the outer surface of the pushing section 7053 is an inclined surface, which slopes outward and upward from the top of the outer surface of the connecting section 7051. Preferably, the outer surface of the pushing section 7053 is complementary to the inner surface of the guide section 7033 of the locking sleeve 703, thereby increasing the contact area between the two surfaces and making the force on the locking block more uniform during the pushing process. Optionally, the pushing surface 7054 is an arc surface or a plane. In this embodiment, the pushing surface 7054 is an arc surface, which is concave inward along the circumference of the locking sleeve 703, so as to better accommodate the circular outer periphery of the mounting platform 500 and be received in the receiving groove 504 of the mounting platform 500.

[0062] In this embodiment, three receiving grooves 504 are evenly arranged circumferentially along the threaded section 502 of the mounting platform 500, and three locking blocks 705 are respectively received in the corresponding receiving grooves 504. Each receiving groove 504 has two connecting holes 505. Two elastic members 701 are respectively received in the two connecting holes 505 of one receiving groove 504 and cooperate with the corresponding locking block 705.

[0063] Understandably, in other embodiments, there may be two receiving slots 504, which may be symmetrically located on opposite sides of the bottom end of the mounting platform 500; there may also be one receiving slot or multiple slots spaced apart, the number of which can be selected as needed. Accordingly, the number and structure of the elastic elements can also be adjusted as needed.

[0064] The locking member 707 has a locking surface 7071 facing the universal ball 20a and a mating surface 7073 for cooperating with the pushing surface 7054 of the locking block. The locking surface 7071 is adapted to the universal ball 20a and is used to be attached to the universal ball 20a. The mating surface 7073 extends outward and upward from the bottom end.

[0065] Specifically, the locking member 707 is annular in shape, with its inner diameter gradually decreasing from top to bottom. The opening size at the bottom of the locking member 707 is smaller than the diameter of the universal ball 20a, so that the universal ball 20a can be partially accommodated within the locking member 707 without disengaging from the opening. The mating surface 7073 is formed on the bottom outer wall of the locking member 707, extending radially outward and upward from the center of the locking member 707 to engage with the inclined pushing surface 7054 of the locking member 707 and the locking block 705. Therefore, when the locking block 705 is pushed radially inward by the locking sleeve 703, the engagement surface 7073 is gradually pushed upward by the pushing surface 7054 due to the engagement of the pushing surface 7054, thereby pushing the locking member 707 upward until it locks the universal ball 20a and fixes it relative to the universal ball 20a.

[0066] Preferably, the inner surface of the locking member 707 is a concave arc surface, which serves as the locking surface 7071 that mates with the universal ball 20a.

[0067] To prevent wear on the omnidirectional ball 20a, the stand in this embodiment further includes a washer 80 fixed to the bottom end of the omnidirectional ball 20a, and the locking member 707 is attached to the outer side of the washer 80. The shape of the washer 80 is adapted to the bottom end of the omnidirectional ball 20a. Preferably, the bottom periphery of the omnidirectional ball 20a is recessed inward to accommodate the washer 80, which facilitates quick alignment of the washer 80 during installation and reduces the height difference between the outer periphery of the fixed washer 80 and the rest of the surface of the omnidirectional ball 20a. The washer 80 is fixed to the omnidirectional ball 20a by screws 90. In this embodiment, the screws 90 pass through the through hole at the bottom end of the washer 80 and engage with the screw hole of the omnidirectional ball 20a.

[0068] Preferably, the locking assembly 700 further includes a limiting member 709, which is fixed to the bottom end of the threaded section 502 of the mounting platform 500 to prevent the locking sleeve 703 from unscrewing from the threaded section 502. In this embodiment, the limiting member 709 is a retaining ring.

[0069] Please see Figure 10In use, the gimbal can be connected to the tripod via a connecting rod 91. Specifically, the gimbal is fixed to the top of the connecting rod 91, and the bottom end of the connecting rod 91 is fixed to the top of the mounting platform 500, i.e., the end away from the omnidirectional ball 20a. The camera equipment can be fixed to the gimbal for long-distance shooting. It is understandable that for close-up shooting, the connecting rod 91 can be omitted, and the gimbal can be directly fixed to the top of the mounting platform 500, with the camera equipment fixed to the gimbal, thus forming a low-angle shooting configuration.

[0070] In this embodiment, when it is necessary to fix the universal ball 20a, by rotating the locking sleeve 703 upward, the inner surface of the guide section 7033 of the locking sleeve 703 moves along the outer side of the connecting section 7051 of the locking block 705 towards the outer side of the pushing section. Since the inner diameter of the guide section 7033 gradually decreases from top to bottom, the guide section 7033 pushes the locking block 705 inward. The pushing surface 7054 of the pushing section 7053 pushes the locking member 707 towards the gasket 80 obliquely upward along the mating surface 7073 until the locking surface 7071 of the locking member 707 abuts against the outer periphery of the gasket 80. In this way, the locking member can be fixed relative to the universal ball 20a, thereby allowing the mounting platform 500 to be fixed in a specific position.

[0071] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application. The scope of protection of this application is not limited to the embodiments listed above. Any simple changes or equivalent substitutions of the technical solutions that can be obviously obtained by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application fall within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism for a tripod for video equipment, the tripod comprising a base and a camera head, the base and the camera head being rotatably connected via a mounting platform and a universal joint rotatably disposed within the mounting platform, the locking mechanism being used to lock or unlock the universal joint and the mounting platform relative to each other, characterized in that: The locking mechanism includes a support rod and a sliding guide lock nested in the support rod, a locking pin connected to the support rod and cooperating with the sliding guide lock, an elastic element for abutting the sliding guide lock, and a driving element for driving the sliding guide lock to move. The peripheral wall of the sliding guide lock is recessed with a guide groove along the base thickness direction. The guide groove has a first fixed position and a second fixed position. The locking pin is in the shape of a slender rod, and the end of the locking pin is always engaged in the guide groove of the sliding guide lock. The locking mechanism is configured to move the locking pin relative to the sliding guide lock and position it to the first fixed position or the second fixed position by pressing the driving element. At the first fixed position, the sliding guide lock fixes the universal ball relative to the mounting platform. At the second fixed position, the sliding guide lock releases the universal ball from the mounting platform.

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slide guide lock is a cylindrical body, including a main body and an extension protruding from the middle of the main body. One end of the elastic member is housed in the main body and is used to elastically abut against the main body.

3. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking pin includes a fixing part and a locking hook. The fixing part is pivotally connected to the support rod, and the locking hook is used to engage with the guide lock of the slide groove.

4. The locking mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The guide groove is located on the surface of the slide lock facing the support rod, and the hook is used to cooperate with the guide groove.

5. The locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The guide groove has a first temporary limit and a second temporary limit set at intervals towards the top of the installation platform. A positioning point is formed below the first temporary limit and the second temporary limit. The hook can abut against the first temporary limit and the second temporary limit or hook with the positioning point.

6. The locking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The longitudinal sections of both the first and second temporary limiting points are inverted V-shapes, and the openings of both points face the first direction.

7. The locking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The longitudinal section of the positioning point is V-shaped, and its opening faces the opposite direction to the first and second temporary limiting points.

8. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic element is a spring.

9. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving component is a foot pedal.

10. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the base is supported on the ground and the locking pin is locked to the first fixed position relative to the slide guide, the locking mechanism is oriented in the vertical direction.

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