Sliding-Leg Tripod Locking for Compact Stable Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tripods for photographic equipment have design flaws that lead to complex construction, high cost, and issues with stability and ease of use, particularly with external levers that can be accidentally knocked or entangled, and are not suitable for small dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A tripod design featuring a cross-piece with hinge elements and sliding second leg portions that allow for easy pivoting and secure positioning, eliminating the need for external levers and enabling quick transitions between closed and operative configurations, with a cylindrical actuation mechanism for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an external lever mechanism is used to control leg positioning, then the tripod can be positioned at predefined angles, but the lever may be accidentally knocked, entangled, or damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external lever mechanism entirely and replaces it with a direct manipulation system where the user grasps the leg itself to pivot it. This extraction of the problematic lever component eliminates the risks of accidental knocking, entanglement, and damage while maintaining positioning functionality through direct user control of the leg structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The leg structure is designed to be self-operating through direct manual manipulation. The user grasps the leg directly and pivots it using the leg's own structure as the control interface, eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms. The spring-loaded locking system then automatically secures the leg in position without requiring additional actuators or levers.
2Measurement precision
If a lever mechanism with multiple teeth is used for positioning, then predefined angles are achieved, but the construction becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex lever-with-teeth mechanism entirely. Instead, it uses a simplified spring-loaded locking system that engages with the leg structure directly. This reduction in mechanical complexity lowers manufacturing costs and assembly difficulty while maintaining the capability for stable, repeatable positioning through the spring mechanism's natural elasticity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positioning mechanism from a multi-tooth engagement system to a spring-based elastic deformation system. The spring-loaded locker utilizes elastic parameters to achieve stable positioning without requiring multiple discrete engagement points, thereby simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining positioning precision through the spring's controlled deformation and recovery characteristics.
3Measurement precision
If multiple parts are used for the positioning mechanism, then predefined positioning is achieved, but the tripod is difficult to manufacture and has substantial cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (lever, teeth, locking mechanism) into a integrated spring-loaded locking system. The spring mechanism combines the positioning, locking, and releasing functions into a single unified system that engages directly with the leg structure. This consolidation reduces the number of parts, simplifies manufacturing, and lowers assembly complexity while maintaining precise positioning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded locking system is designed to be self-regulating and self-securing. The spring automatically engages and disengages the locking mechanism based on leg position without requiring external actuation components. This self-service characteristic eliminates the need for multiple controlled parts and reduces manufacturing complexity while ensuring accurate, repeatable positioning through the spring's inherent elastic properties.
4Ease of operation
If an external lever is provided for user access, then leg angle adjustment is possible, but the lever projects externally and occupies additional space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the external lever that projected beyond the cross-piece boundaries. User access for leg adjustment is achieved directly through the leg structure itself, which the user grasps and manipulates. This eliminates the need for additional external components and reduces the overall spatial envelope of the tripod, making it more compact without sacrificing ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A support tripod for video-photographic equipment. The tripod has a cross-piece with a mount for the equipment and a plurality of support legs pivotable with respect to the cross-piece to open/close the tripod. Each leg has a first leg portion articulated to a corresponding hinge on the cross-piece so that the leg can be pivoted between a closed configuration, in which the legs are arranged almost parallel with each other, and at least one operative configuration, in which the legs are apart with respect to the cross-piece, and a second leg portion parallel with and connected to the first leg portion. The second leg portion has a member which extends mainly along a longitudinal axis. The second leg portion can slide along the longitudinal axis, moving with respect to the first leg portion to release the leg from the cross-piece and make the leg pivotable with respect to the cross-piece.