Hydraulic Utility Mount Brackets for Secure Grip and Safe Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing utility mounts for outdoor equipment, such as cameras and hunting gear, lack adjustable and secure mounting solutions that can effectively engage various stable structures, especially in outdoor settings, and often require complex installation or damage-prone pointed ends.
Innovation Solution
A selectively adjustable and lockable utility mount with hydraulic locking and storable mount elements that include pointed, claw-shaped, and ratchet-locked configurations, allowing for secure engagement with stable structures without requiring tools and minimizing damage during storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pointed mount elements are used to engage stable structures, then engagement security is improved, but damage risk to equipment and structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mount elements are designed to be movable between a deployed position (where they engage the stable structure) and a stored position (where they are retracted or covered). This dynamic configuration allows the pointed elements to provide secure engagement when needed while minimizing damage risk during storage and transport by protecting them in the stored position.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount elements are deployed before engagement with the stable structure, allowing the user to position them in advance. The pointed ends are prepared to engage the structure securely before the actual mounting operation, ensuring reliable engagement while controlling the timing of when the potentially damaging pointed elements are exposed.
2Volume of moving object
If storable mount elements are used to reduce device size, then portability is improved, but engagement stability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The mount elements transition from a compact stored configuration to an extended deployed configuration. When deployed, they extend outward to engage the stable structure, providing sufficient engagement surface area and geometric stability for secure mounting, while returning to a compact form for portability when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting device is segmented into movable mount elements that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the elements to be stored compactly along the body of the device while still providing adequate engagement capability when deployed, as each element can extend to its full functional length for stable engagement.
3Reliability
If hydraulic locking mechanism is used to secure the mount, then locking reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A hydraulic locking mechanism is incorporated into the mount to provide secure locking of the mount elements in their deployed position. The hydraulic system uses fluid pressure to maintain the locked state, providing high reliability for holding the mount securely against the stable structure without requiring constant mechanical force from the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic locking mechanism is designed to maintain the locked position automatically once engaged, using the hydraulic pressure to self-maintain the locking force. This reduces the need for continuous user intervention or complex mechanical locking components, as the hydraulic system inherently provides the necessary holding force to secure the mount reliably.
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
Provides a versatile, secure, and convenient mounting solution for outdoor equipment, enabling easy adjustment and secure attachment to diverse structures while protecting equipment during storage and transport.
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
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.