Hydraulic Utility Mount With Storable Brackets for Secure Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing utility mounts for outdoor equipment, such as cameras and shooting rests, lack adjustable and lockable solutions for secure mounting on various stable structures, and existing mounting brackets do not efficiently manage storable and deployed configurations to prevent damage and enhance convenience during transport.
Innovation Solution
A selectively adjustable and lockable utility mount with a hydraulic lock and storable mounting brackets featuring movable, pointed engagement ends that can grip surfaces, allowing for secure attachment to structures without requiring strap threading through openings, and configurations that pivot or slide onto straps for easy deployment and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mounting brackets use fixed, extended mount elements for secure engagement, then reliability of mounting is improved, but volume of the device increases making it less convenient for transport
Solution Approach 1:
The mount elements are designed to be movable between a deployed position for secure engagement with the mounting surface and a retracted position for compact storage. This dynamic configuration allows the bracket to adapt its volume based on operational requirements while maintaining reliable mounting capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount elements can be nested within or alongside the bracket body when not in use, allowing the extended engagement features to be stored within the overall device envelope. This nesting approach minimizes the volume occupied during transport while preserving the full engagement capability during operation.
2Ease of operation
If mount elements have exposed pointed engagement ends for gripping surfaces, then ease of operation is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to potential damage to equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The mount elements feature movable protective covers that can be deployed to enclose the pointed engagement ends when not in use. This dynamic protection mechanism allows the pointed features to remain accessible for gripping surfaces during operation while being protected from causing damage to equipment during storage and transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective function is separated from the engagement function by providing dedicated protective covers for the pointed mount elements. This extraction of the protection function allows the pointed engagement ends to perform their gripping function without being permanently enclosed, while still preventing damage when protection is needed.
3Reliability
If utility mounts use traditional locking mechanisms for secure positioning, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic lock mechanism is designed to maintain the locked condition automatically once engaged, using hydraulic pressure to sustain the locking force without requiring continuous external input or complex control systems. This self-sustaining approach provides reliable positioning while minimizing the complexity of the locking mechanism.
4Reliability
If mounting brackets require strap threading through openings for secure attachment, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to installation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the strap to pass through openings in the bracket, the design allows the bracket to be slid onto the strap from the end. This inversion of the attachment sequence simplifies installation by eliminating the need to thread the strap through complex bracket structures, while still providing secure attachment through the strap's tension.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, adjustable, and compact mounting system for outdoor equipment, ensuring stability on diverse surfaces while minimizing size during transport and preventing damage to equipment, with the hydraulic lock ensuring secure positioning without tools.
Implementation Method 1
The utility mount includes a hydraulic lock that applies the locking force that maintains the locked condition of the utility mount
Implementation Method 2
The mounting brackets include spaced-apart, pointed feet that can grip, engage, or dig into a stable support surface to help secure the mount at a location
Data Source
AI summary
A selectively adjustable and lockable utility mount is used to mount a device to a stable structure. The utility mount includes a hydraulic lock that applies the locking force that maintains the locked condition of the utility mount. Mounting brackets for utility mounts have spaced-apart mount elements that engage a surface of a stable structure. Some configurations of mounting bracket include mount elements that are movable between stored conditions and deployed conditions. The stored conditions reduce the size of the device to make it more convenient to pack. A climbing stick uses the storable mount elements.