Tripod particularly for optical and photographic use

[0002] This application is a U.S. national-phase application of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP00/04129 filed May 9, 2000.

[0003] The present invention relates to an improved tripod, in particular for optical or photographic use.

[0004] In the following context, the term “tripod” is meant to indicate supports with three or more legs and therefore no limitation is to be considered implicitly or explicitly attributable to the terminology employed with regard to the number of legs.

[0005] It is well known that tripods of the type indicated are used for supporting optical or photographic equipment in a stable manner at a predetermined distance and height with respect to the subject viewed or photographed.

[0006] A support of this type is known from the description of Patent Application No. PD98A000096 of the same Applicant. This describes a tripod comprising a spider for articulation of the legs and a support mounted in the spider with a first seating coaxial with the main axis of the tripod, and a second seating with an axis substantially perpendicular to the first seating so that the column of the tripod can be received alternatively and removably in the first and second seating.

[0007] In the case of photographic close-up shots or macrophotographs, in which it is necessary to get very close to the subject to be photographed, this tripod allows placements of the column, and consequently of the photographic equipment, very close up, in so far as the column can be mounted at right-angles with respect to the main axis of the tripod, yet said placements are limited to only two directions, perpendicular to each other, obtainable by mounting the column in one or other of the seatings provided on the spider.

[0008] The invention proposes as its principal aim that of improving the versatility of the tripods of known type by increasing the number of positions and placements allowed for the column.

[0009] Within the scope of said aim, the invention likewise proposes to allow the adjustment of the position of the column easily and independently of the adjustment of the position of the legs of the tripod.

[0010] These and other aims are achieved by a tripod produced in accordance with the present invention.

[0011] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of one of its preferred exemplary embodiments illustrated by way of non-limiting example with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tripod produced according to the present invention,

[0013] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tripod in FIG. 1,

[0014] FIG. 3 is a view in section along the line III—III in FIG. 2,

[0015] FIG. 4 is a view in partial section along the line IV—IV in FIG. 3, and

[0016] FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of two details of FIG. 4.

[0017] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the reference 1 indicates as a whole a tripod produced in accordance with the present invention and including a spider 2 having a main axis X in which there converge and are articulated three legs all indicated by 3, articulated on respective pins 4.

[0018] Each leg is produced with a telescopic structure having two or more extensions, the relative positioning of which is adjustable by means of clamps 5. The angular position of each leg 3 about the corresponding pin 4 is further adjustable by means of a lever adjusting device 6 of a type which is conventional per se.

[0019] Centrally in the spider there is provided a hole 7 extending coaxially with the axis X and capable of receiving a screw means 8 for locking a cylindrical pin 9 which is also coaxial with the axis X. On the pin 9 there is mounted rotatably about the axis X a support indicated as a whole by 10.

[0020] The support 10 comprises a first and a second part respectively rigidly connectable to the spider 2 and to a column 11, the latter being provided at one end with a connection 12, for example a screw connection, for attaching an item of photographic equipment or other equipment thereto.

[0021] More particularly, the first part comprises a clamping member 13 in which is defined a cylindrical seating 14 coaxial with the axis X and intended to receive the pin 9. The seating 14 is interrupted circumferentially by a notch 15 at which there extend, towards the outside, two juxtaposed cheeks 16a,b. By means of the notch 15 the member 13 is elastically deformable and in particular is radially contractile transversely to the axis X.

[0022] The member 13 is clamped on the pin 9, so that it is rigidly connected to the latter by means of a screw clamping device indicated as a whole by 17. Said device comprises a pin arrangement 18 disposed along axis Y perpendicular to the main axis X, passing through the cheeks 16a,b, and having a head 18aand an opposed screw-threaded portion 18bscrewed into an operating knob 19.

[0023] The reference 20 indicates a bearing, preferably of the rolling ball type, interposed between the knob 19 and the member 13, which serves to reduce the forces required by the user when actuating the knob 19.

[0024] The second part of the support 10 comprises a split sleeve arrangement 21 which is slipped onto the column 11. The column 11 is rotatably and slidably received in the sleeve arrangement 21 and is clamped on the latter by means of a tie-rod 22, mounted on the sleeve and connected by one of its axial ends to a lever 23. Said lever 23 is provided with a protuberance 24 interfering with the sleeve arrangement 21 to clamp the latter against the column 11 as a result of closing actuation of the lever on the sleeve itself.

[0025] From the sleeve arrangement 21 there extends an appendage 25 defined by opposed surfaces 25a,band traversed centrally by a hole 26 by means of which the sleeve arrangement 21 is supported rotatably on the pin 18.

[0026] Between the appendage 25 and the cheek 16afacing the latter there acts a coupling with frontal teeth including a first and a second coupling member 27a,bthat can be mutually coupled in the direction of the axis Y. The coupling members 27a,bcomprise respective toothed crowns 28a,bextending coaxially with the axis Y, projecting respectively from the surface 25aof the appendage 25 and from the surface of the clamping member 13 facing the latter.

[0027] The toothed portions 28a,bare shaped with a profile such as to block the relative rotation between the first and the second part of the support, about the axis Y, when the coupling members 27a,bare mutually coupled.

[0028] The coupling members 27a,bare axially clamped against each other by the screwing of the knob 19 on the screw-threaded portion of the pin 18. The toothed crowns 28a,bare further capable of being axially coupled with a preselected angular positioning with respect to each other about the axis Y, and consequently the sleeve arrangement 21, and therefore the column 11 can be oriented and locked with respect to the support 10 in a preselected operating position in which the column 11 is inclined with respect to the main axis X by a preselected angulation. The number of relative angular positions between the column 11 and the spider 2 is determined by the number and the angular pitch of the teeth of the crowns 28a,b.

[0029] It should likewise be noted that by means of the clamping of the knob 19 on the pin 18 both the blocking of the member 13 against rotation about the axis X and also the blocking of the sleeve arrangement 21 relative to rotation about the axis Y are obtained. Starting from a preselected placement of the column 11, in which rotation of the support 10 about the axes X and Y is blocked, unscrewing the knob 19 makes it possible to uncouple axially the coupling members 27a,b. In said operating condition the column 11 can be freely oriented about the axis Y in order to be placed, if required, with a different inclination with respect to the main axis X.

[0030] Unscrewing of the knob 19, also effects the unblocking of the support with regard to rotation about the main axis X of the spider.

[0031] The invention thus achieves the aims proposed by obtaining numerous advantages with respect to the known solutions. Firstly, with the tripod according to the present invention a greater versatility is obtained in the placement of the column with respect to the spider, with an increase in the number of positions, comprised and capable of being selected between two opposed operating positions in which the column is respectively disposed parallel and perpendicular to the main axis of the spider. Secondly, the invention advantageously makes it possible to obtain easy and rapid adjustment of the positioning of the column in addition to the fact that said adjustment is independent of the adjustment of the position of the legs of the tripod. This allows the user to act with greater rapidity and security in the placement of items of photographic equipment, which are often rather heavy, even in the case of photographic shots which are not particularly convenient or easy.