High directional support having a configurable number of telescoping legs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9314652-B2
Application number	US-59759608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2008
Priority date	Apr 30, 2007
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A support in the form of a high directional having a configurable number of telescoping legs is disclosed. The support provides a head and a plurality of telescoping legs, the head having a plurality of head units and each head unit having at least one associated leg depending therefrom. Each head unit being adapted to be coupled to at least two other head units.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A configurable high directional support comprising:
a plurality of telescoping legs wherein the top of each telescoping leg is provided with an angled abutment edge;
a head comprising a plurality of head units each having on opposite sides thereof first and second side connectors, wherein each head unit is pivotally attached to a respective one of the plurality of telescoping legs, wherein the telescoping legs are located in a respective head unit channel, and wherein each of the head units is adapted to be coupled to two other head units via the first and second side connectors to form a chain of head units, and wherein
each head unit is releasably coupled with at least one other adjacent head unit.

2. The high directional support according to claim 1 wherein each of the head units is pivotally and releasably coupled to two adjacent head units.

3. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of head units further comprises an attachment element for attachment of a rope guiding element.

4. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of head units further comprises an attachment element for attachment of a rope guiding element, wherein the rope guiding element comprises a pulley.

5. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of head units connected sequentially to form an open chain of head units, wherein each of the head units is pivotally and releasably coupled to an adjacent head unit.

6. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of head units connected sequentially to form a closed chain of head units, wherein each of the head units is pivotally and releasably coupled to two adjacent head units.

7. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of head units connected sequentially to form a closed chain of head units, wherein the closed chain can be arranged to form an array in the form of a regular polygon, and wherein each of the head units is pivotally and releasably coupled to two adjacent head units.

8. The high directional support according to claim 1 , the plurality of head units connected sequentially to form a closed chain of head units, wherein the closed chain can be arranged to form an array in the form of a regular polygon comprising the shapes of a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, an enneagon, or a decagon, and wherein each of the head units is pivotally and releasably coupled to two adjacent head units.

9. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a bracing member adapted to connect to and mutually brace four coupled head units.

10. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a bracing member adapted to connect to and mutually brace five coupled head units.

11. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a bracing member adapted to connect to and mutually brace three coupled head units.

12. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a bracing member adapted to connect to and mutually brace at least two telescoping legs.

13. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein each head unit further comprises a body portion, wherein the body portion has attachment means which releasably attach the respective one of the plurality of telescoping legs.

14. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a bridge member adapted to connect to and mutually brace at least two pairs of coupled head units.

15. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein the respective telescoping leg is adapted to pivot around the head unit by at least 90 degrees.

16. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a pin, wherein the first side connector is adapted to be coupled to a respective side connector of an adjacent head unit, and the first side connector and the respective side connector form together a hinge which is held together via the pin.

17. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a pin, wherein the second side connector is adapted to be coupled to a respective side connector of an adjacent head unit, and the second side connector and the respective side connector form together a hinge which is held together via the pin.

18. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of pins, wherein the first side connector is adapted to be coupled to a respective side connector of an adjacent head unit, and the first side connector and the respective side connector form together a hinge which is held together via one of the pair of pins, and the second side connector is adapted to be coupled to another respective side connector of another adjacent head unit, and the second side connector and the other respective side connector form together a hinge which is held together via the other one of the pair of pins.

19. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a pin and a respective retaining clip provided to a side of each head unit, wherein the first side connector is adapted to be coupled to a respective side connector of an adjacent head unit, and the first side connector and the respective side connector form together a hinge which is held together via the pin, and wherein the pin is held releasably in place by the respective retaining clip.

20. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one bracing member which spaces one of the head units a predetermined distance from another one of the head units.

21. The high directional support according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of pins and at least one bracing member which spaces one of the head units a predetermined distance from another one of the head units, wherein the first side connector is adapted to be coupled to a respective side connector of an adjacent head unit, and the first side connector and the respective side connector form together a hinge which is held together via one of the pair of pins, and the second side connector is adapted to be coupled to another respective side connector of another adjacent head unit, and the second side connector and the other respective side connector form together a hinge which is held together via the other one of the pair of pins, and wherein the bracing member is engaged by one of the pair of pins.

22. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second side connectors define two rotational axes for coupled head units, wherein the two rotational axes are parallel to each other.

23. The high directional support according to claim 1 , wherein each head unit is pivotally attached to a respective one of the plurality of telescoping legs with a leg pin through a leg pin opening on opposite sides of the head unit and through one or more leg apertures.

24. A kit for a high directional support having a head and a plurality of telescoping legs, comprising:
a plurality of head units each having on opposite sides thereof first and second side connectors;
a plurality of telescoping legs each having an angular abutment edge provided at the top thereof;
each head unit being pivotally attachable to a respective one of the plurality of
telescoping legs wherein the telescoping legs are located in a respective head

Assignees

• Broadley Gavin Lee
• Walrond Michael Klaus
• Cambridge Alan Raymond
• Minnis Bradley Matthew
• West Scott Andrew
• Ferno Washington

Inventors

• Broadley Gavin Lee
• Walrond Michael Klaus
• Cambridge Alan Raymond
• Minnis Bradley Matthew
• West Scott Andrew

Classifications

• F16M2200/028

  by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections · CPC title

• F16M11/34

  Members limiting spreading of legs {, e.g. "umbrella legs"} · CPC title

• B66C5/025

  Tripods · CPC title

• F16M11/32

  Undercarriages for supports with three or more telescoping legs · CPC title

• F16M2200/08

  Foot or support base · CPC title