Abstract: The present invention relates to a collapsible stand, a kit for a collapsible stand and to associated methods and apparatus. The collapsible stand is intended for supporting an object, and includes a head unit comprising a fixture for attaching to the object, and one or more leg sockets; and one or more legs proximal ends of which are reversibly received in the respective leg sockets. Each leg comprises a bistable reelable composite member having a first stable form in the form of an elongate slit tube in which form the member is resiliently biased and acts as a leg. When removed from the socket, the tube can be opened out at the slit at an end and progressively coiled to reversibly attain a second stable form in the form of a coil. The coil defines an internal space for accommodating at least part of the head unit.

Abstract: The invention provides an extendible member which is configurable between a coiled form and an extended form. The extendible member comprises: a primary member comprising a sheet of material resiliently biased in a slit tube form, wherein the slit tube can be opened out at the slit to assume an open form in which it has a flattened cross section; at least one resilient secondary member having first and second connections to the primary member at respective different circumferential positions on the primary member, wherein in the extended form, the primary member is in its slit tube form and the resiliency of the secondary member causes at least part of the secondary member to displace towards the slit in the primary member to provide torsional and axial stiffness to the primary member, and wherein in the coiled form, the primary member is in its open form and the secondary member conforms to the flattened cross section of the primary member so that primary and secondary member can be co-coiled.