Tripod for photographing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810974-B2
Application number	US-201715398048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2017
Priority date	Jan 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A tripod for a photographing apparatus is provided. The tripod includes a plurality of legs, a bracket, to which the legs are coupled, a support that is coupled to the bracket, and contact members, each of which defines an upper end portion of the corresponding leg. Each contact member includes a first surface provided at an upper end of the contact member and defining a first angle with a longitudinal axis of the leg, and a second surface extending from the first surface and defining a second angle with the first surface. The first surface and the support contact each other when the corresponding leg is in a folding state, and the second surface and the support contact each other when the corresponding leg is in an unfolding state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tripod for a photographing apparatus, the tripod comprising:
a plurality of legs;
a bracket, to which the plurality of legs is coupled;
a support coupled to the bracket, the support comprising a plurality of resilient members respectively formed at a periphery of the support, each resilient member having a resilient force of a specific magnitude; and
each of the plurality of legs comprising a contact member, each contact member provided at an upper end portion of the corresponding leg,
wherein each contact member comprises:
a first surface provided at an upper end of the contact member and defining a first angle with a longitudinal axis of the leg; and
a second surface extending from the first surface and defining a second angle with the first surface,
wherein the first surface and the support contact each other when the corresponding leg is in a folded state, and the second surface and the support contact each other when the corresponding leg is in an unfolded state, and
wherein, when a respective one of the legs changes from the folded state to the unfolded state or from the unfolded state to the folded state, a corresponding resilient member moves by a load applied to the upper end of the corresponding contact member.

2. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein the first angle is a right angle.

3. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises:
one or more openings at peripheral areas thereof, and
the one or more openings are configured to receive respective legs therein from a lower end to an upper end of the bracket such that the contact members are exposed to the outside.

4. The tripod of claim 3 , wherein the bracket comprises:
a plurality of grooves, each groove being arranged adjacent to a corresponding opening, and
wherein, when each of the legs is inserted into a corresponding opening, a rotation shaft that is provided in a through-hole that extends from one side surface to an opposite side surface of the contact member is seated in the groove.

5. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises:
one or more protrusions that protrude from an upper surface of the bracket,
wherein the support comprises:
one or more holes configured to receive respective protrusions, and
wherein, when the protrusions are inserted into the respective holes, respective portions of the support contact the contact members.

6. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein the support is coupled to the bracket by a screw.

7. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein each of the resilient members comprises:
a plate-shaped spring.

8. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein each of the legs comprises:
at least one magnet disposed at a peripheral area thereof, and
wherein when the legs are in the folded state, a first magnet included in any one leg is coupled to a second magnet included in another leg adjacent to the one leg.

9. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein each of the legs comprises:
a recess that is recessed at a specific width and at a specific depth at a lower end area of the leg, at which the corresponding contact member is situated.

10. The tripod of claim 9 , wherein the recess comprises:
a stopper protruding from an inner surface of the recess,
wherein the stopper is provided in a coupling hole of an external device such that the external device is coupled to the recess.

11. The tripod of claim 1 , wherein body of each of the legs is injection-molded, at least one magnet is coupled to a peripheral area of the corresponding body, and an external appearance part is injection-molded to surround the corresponding body.

12. The tripod of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover coupled to the bracket; and
a rotation member coupled to the cover,
wherein the cover is coupled to the bracket to cover an upper surface and a portion of a side surface of the bracket, the bracket being disposed in a cavity formed inside the cover.

13. The tripod of claim 12 , wherein the cover comprises:
a connection member, configured for coupling to the photographing apparatus, and
wherein the rotation member comprises a screw groove provided on an inner peripheral surface thereof and is rotatably coupled to a screw thread formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cover.

14. The tripod of claim 13 , wherein the connection member comprises:
a screw thread having a pitch different from the screw thread formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cover member.

15. The tripod of claim 12 , wherein the rotation member comprises:
a connection member configured for coupling to the photographing apparatus, and
wherein the rotation member is coupled to the cover member by a screw.

16. The tripod of claim 15 , wherein a lower end of the connection member protrudes from a lower surface of the rotation member, and is exposed to the cavity through an opening formed at an upper end of the cover member.

17. The tripod of claim 16 , wherein the connection member is coupled to a resistance support, which is disposed in the cavity and attached to a lower end of the connection member, by the screw.

18. The tripod of claim 17 , wherein the cover comprises:
at least one boss that protrudes from an upper end of the cover at a portion of an inner surface of the cover, in which the cavity is formed, and
wherein the at least one boss contacts a portion of an upper surface of the resistance support.

19. The tripod of claim 15 , further comprising:
a ring having a resilient force of a specific magnitude,
wherein the ring surrounds the connection member, and is provided between the cover and the rotation member.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chi Eun Ho
• Kim Myung Gyu
• Kim Sang Eon

Classifications

• F16M11/242

  by spreading of the legs (F16M11/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/1671

  with an insert · CPC title

• B29C2045/1673

  injecting the first layer, then feeding the insert, then injecting the second layer · CPC title

• G03B17/561 Primary

  Support related camera accessories · CPC title

• F16M11/38

  by folding {, e.g. pivoting or scissors tong mechanisms} · CPC title