Foundations used by consumers to build a tripod

Abstract

The two foundation embodiments (10) and (11) are unique, simple foundations that permit the consumer to exploit the inherent advantages of a tripod. The two embodiments provide a broad range of flexibility in tripod design. Said foundations permit the construction of a tripod with the potential for an almost infinite number of consumer-chosen options and designs. There is no product on the market that has all of the advantages offered by these embodiments.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Patent Application filed Mar. 8, 2004 Granted May 10, 2004 Appl Ser. No. 60/551,196 Confirmation No. 2143.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention provides the consumer with foundations that permit the construction of a unique tripod to meet consumer unique needs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention permits the consumer to take advantage of the inherent advantages of a tripod. Three points describe a plane. Objects on a tripod are inherently stable, each of the three legs can be on a surface of different height but the platform created is stable. Most man-made objects have four supports. These supports are acceptable only when they occupy a common plane. Absent a common plane these objects are not stable.

Prior Art. A patent search found numerous examples of tripods designed to perform a particular function. There were no patents on tripod foundations with the primary objective of permitting the customer to design a unique tripod to meet unique needs.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

The invention is a new concept for the construction of a tripod. The concept is a foundation that permits the consumer to construct a unique tripod to meet the consumer's unique needs. The tripod foundation is triangular but need not be an isosceles triangle. The foundation provides three points to which the tripod's legs are attached. Foundations could be constructed of metal, wood or man-made material, e.g. PVC.

There are two embodiments for the foundation. The preferred embodiment is a one-piece foundation consisting of a foundation base that provides openings for the placement of tripod legs and provisions for the attachment of other objects. This foundation is designed and made for purchase by the consumer. The foundation could be designed to support the use of attachments selected by the consumer.

The alternate embodiment has four parts. The first part is a foundation base designed by the consumer with a size, material, and configuration unique to the consumer's needs. The other three parts are three commercially manufactured extensions to be appropriately attached to the base. These extensions would include an opening for the placement of the tripod legs. The extensions may be made of different material than the foundation base. The consumer would determine the attachments to be placed on the extensions and on the foundation.

The flexibility and potential of this concept have been demonstrated with a preferred embodiment foundation made of stainless steel. The foundation was equipped with a number of attachments. Most attachments were made from PVC. There were a few metal attachments. In this demonstration most of the legs were made of PVC with an exterior diameter of 1¼″. Many PVC attachments accept this outside diameter. PVC parts are sturdy, have a good “hand”, and do not rust. Attachments are routinely available in retail stores.

SUMMARY

The preferred and alternate embodiments permit the customer to create a tripod to meet unique needs. The flexibility and potential of said embodiments are apparent in the applications described below. Three applications are shown; foundation; attachments to the foundations; and modifications to the tripod. No other product offers the unique advantages of these embodiments. Given these unique advantages it is likely the consumer will find utility for the foundations in ways we cannot now imagine.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a vertical view of a typical preferred embodiment foundation. There are three arms with openings that accept tripod legs. There is an opening in the center for the attachment of a component to the foundation base.

FIG. 1a is a horizontal view of a typical preferred embodiment foundation. In this fig the arms are inclined at 22.5° above the horizontal.

FIG. 2 is a vertical view of a typical alternate embodiment foundation. It has three removable extensions that provide openings to secure the legs to the foundation. The foundation can be designed to accept components chosen by the consumer.

FIG. 2a is a horizontal view of a typical alternate embodiment foundation.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an extension for the alternate embodiment with an opening for the attachment of the legs.

FIG. 3a is a horizontal view of the extension. The extension arms are inclined at 22.5°.

FIG. 4 Attachments to the foundations

FIG. 5 Modifications to the tripod

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 10 Preferred embodiment
• 11 Alternate embodiment
• 12 Extension arm
• 13 Opening for leg
• 14 Opening for other attachments
• 15 Openings on Extension Arm
• 16 Tripod Leg
• 17 Female adapter
• 18 Pipe Connector
• 19 Cap
• 20 Female receptacle
• 21 Eyebolt
• 22 Nut
• 23 22.5° Elbow

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Foundation

FIG. 1 is a vertical view of a typical preferred embodiment foundation 10. There are three arms with openings 13 that accept tripod legs. On this Fig the arms are separated from one another by 120°. Foundations could be designed with separations other than 120°. There is one opening 14 for the attachment of objects to the foundation base.

FIG. 1a is a horizontal view of a typical preferred embodiment foundation 10. The arms are inclined at 22.5° above the horizontal. This is a convenient angle; it can be supplemented with a 22.5° elbow 23 to create a horizontal surface to interface with the ground or other components. The manufacturer will determine the actual angle of the arm.

FIG. 2 is a vertical view of a typical alternate embodiment foundation. There is a base 11 and three extension arms 12. The extensions have openings for the attachment of tripod legs. The consumer designs the foundation base 11 the dimensions of the base, the positioning of the extensions and the presence or absence of additional openings in the base 11. There may be foundations that would profit from more than three extension arms 12.

FIG. 2a is a horizontal view of a typical alternate embodiment foundation 11 with extension arms 12.

FIG. 3 is a vertical view of an extension arm 12 for the alternate embodiment. The fig shows the placement of the opening 13 for the attachment of the legs. Also shown are the notional openings 15 for the objects, bolts or screws, that secure the arm to the foundation. The dimensions of this extension would be determined by the manufacturer and would recognize the needs of the consumer.

FIG. 3a is a horizontal view of the extension arm for the alternate embodiment 11. The extension arms are inclined at 22.5°. The consumer would choose this angle. For example there may be foundations better served by extension arms parallel to the foundation.

Attachments to Foundations

These applications are available to both embodiments. The consumer will determine how parts should be connected.

FIG. 4 shows a simple way to attach objects to a foundation. The tripod leg 16 is placed in to a receptacle 20 of a female adapter 17. A pipe connector 18 is placed in the other receptacle 20 of the female adapter 17. The pipe connector 18 is the same diameter as the tripod leg 16. The pipe connector 18 is then placed in the bottom of the leg opening 13 and secured there with a cap 19. Tripod legs 16 could be attached with other components, e.g. a threaded female adapter or a threaded male adapter. This invention offers unique foundations not unique attachments to the foundations.

FIG. 4a shows another use of the simple way to attach objects to a foundation. There is a center opening in the preferred embodiment 14. The alternate embodiment permits the placement of openings at any location on the foundation. In this figure a pipe connector 18 is placed in a cap 19. The connector 18 is passed through the bottom of an opening 14 into a receptacle 20 of a female adapter 17. The open receptacle 20 of the adapter can accept a pipe similar to a tripod leg 16, as a part of a vertical construction. This foundation could be combined other foundations similarly configured to build a wall of pipes. The receptacle 20 would accept other attachments e.g., a flange to support a tabletop.

FIG. 4b shows another use of the simple way to attach objects to a foundation. On this figure the object is attached to the bottom of the foundation. The attachment is simply a pipe connector 18 that secures two caps 19 one on the top and the other on the bottom of the foundation 10. The bottom cap has been modified to include the presence of an eyebolt 21 secured to the bottom of the cap with a nut 22. This bolt could be used to hold an object, e.g. flower arrangement, in the center of the tripod. The bolt could also be used to accept a weight to provide the tripod with increased stability.

Modifications to the Tripod

FIG. 5 shows two simple modifications using the 22.5° elbow 23. FIG. 4 showed a simple concept to secure an attachment to a foundation. The drawing of FIG. 5 is almost exactly the same FIG. 4. However the pipe connector 18 is secured to the foundation with a 22.5° elbow 23 rather than a cap 19. The elbow 23 can be positioned so that the open end is at an angle parallel with the ground. In this position it provides a base for vertical pipes to perform functions chosen by the consumer.

FIG. 5a shows the bottom of a tripod leg 16 modified with a 22.5° elbow 23 placed at the bottom of a leg 16. The elbow 23 is placed so that it contacts the ground with a flat parallel surface. This position increases the area of the elbow that touches the ground. The increased area increases the stability of the legs 16 of the tripod.

FIG. 5b shows an assembly to counter the tendency for tripod legs 16 to spread as increased weight is placed on the tripod. The assembly is composed of a female adapter 17 a threaded eyebolt 21 and two securing nuts 22. The bolt 21 is passed though a hole drilled in the center of the adapter 17. The two nuts 22 secure the bolt. The assembly is then appropriately placed on each of the three legs 16. The three legs would then be connected by a line or chain of appropriate length and strength passing though each leg's eyebolt 21.

Claims

1. The tripod is broadly accepted and used by many disciplines. Said foundations exceed the present state of the art by offering two embodiments that permit the consumer to design to unique needs.

2. Said foundations meet unmet needs not recognized nor realized by the present state of the art.

3. Said foundations often accept generally available component parts thus permitting the consumer to create a unique tripod to meet unique consumer needs at minimum cost.

4. The alternate embodiment is a foundation that includes a provision for the attachment of tripod legs and other objects to the foundation. The foundation could be made with metal, wood, PVC, or other suitable materials.

5. The second embodiment is in four parts. The first part is a consumer designed foundation base. The other three parts are extension arms for the foundation with provisions for the attachment of tripod legs. The extensions are appropriately attached to the consumer's foundation. The extensions could be made with metal, wood, PVC, or other suitable materials.

6. The extension arms permit the construction of a tripod meeting unique needs. More than three extension arms could be attached to a foundation should the consumer see a need to do so.