Close-Packing Tripod Head With Single-Ring Camera Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional camera tripods lack compactness, ease of use, and efficient packing due to separate controls and protrusions, making them cumbersome for transport and storage.
Innovation Solution
A close-pack, high-aspect-ratio camera tripod with a hub, legs, and a head featuring telescopic segments, concentric control rings, and a spherical end that allows for rapid adjustment and locking of camera orientation, enabling compact storage and easy transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional camera tripods use separate controls and protrusions for camera adjustment and locking, then the tripod provides functional control over camera orientation, but the tripod becomes cumbersome for transport and storage due to increased size and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions (camera adjustment and locking) into a single integrated control ring mechanism. The control ring simultaneously performs both adjustment and locking operations, eliminating the need for separate controls and protrusions, thereby reducing the tripod's overall size and improving compactness for transport and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The control ring is designed as a multi-functional component that performs multiple operations: adjusting camera orientation, locking camera position, and controlling head movement. This universal component replaces several separate mechanisms, reducing the number of protrusions and external features while maintaining full operational capability.
2Measurement precision
If conventional camera tripods use multiple separate controls for camera adjustment, then precise camera orientation control is achieved, but the tripod requires two hands for operation and reduces ease of use
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple control functions are merged into a single control ring that can be operated with one hand. The control ring integrates adjustment and locking mechanisms, allowing the user to perform precise camera orientation control and locking operations simultaneously with a single-handed rotation action.
Solution Approach 2:
The control ring is segmented into different functional zones or stages that correspond to different operational modes (adjustment vs. locking). By rotating the control ring through different angular positions or applying different forces, the user can achieve precise orientation control followed by secure locking, all within a single continuous motion that can be performed with one hand.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional camera tripods include multiple external controls and protrusions, then comprehensive camera control is provided, but the tripod increases in weight and reduces compactness
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple external controls and protrusions are merged into a single integrated control ring structure. This consolidation eliminates redundant components and reduces the overall material required, thereby decreasing the tripod's weight while maintaining comprehensive camera control functionality through the multi-functional control ring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary external protrusions and separate control mechanisms from the tripod design. By removing these redundant external features and integrating their functions into the control ring, the tripod's weight is reduced while adaptability and versatility are preserved through the efficient multi-functional control mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A tripod includes: a hub defining a set of leg mounts; a set of legs configured to telescopically extend from the hub and couple to the set of leg mounts; a center column including a spherical end; and a head pivotably coupled to the spherical end. The head further includes: a base section; a camera platform arranged over the base section; a set of flanges extending below the base section and extending around the spherical end; a hat arranged over the spherical end; a pivot control ring arranged about the base section, configured to drive the hat into the spherical end to fix the head on the spherical end responsive to rotation in a first direction about the base section, and configured to retract the hat from the spherical end to unlock the head from the spherical end responsive to rotation in a second direction about the base section.