BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of tripod mounts and more particularly to the field of such mounts for dish antenna assemblies.
2. Discussion of the Background
Dish antenna assemblies are commonly mounted to platforms such as homes or recreational vehicles. In these mounts, the dish of the antenna assembly can be relatively easily and quickly aligned with the transmitting and/or receiving satellite and rigidly held in place. The home or vehicle in these arrangements provides a very stable and substantially permanent is structure to support the antenna. In contrast, dish antenna systems that are portable and intended to be mounted simply on collapsible tripods such as at campsites or in backyards offer significant design problems. In particular, the tripod mount must be very stable and strong to support the antenna (e.g., 40 pounds) in proper alignment yet easily and quickly collapsible into a compact shape for storage and transport.
With these and other problems in mind, the present invention was developed. In it, a tripod mount is provided that can be set up and collapsed fairly quickly and easily. Additionally, the tripod is provided with an adjustable azimuth arrangement mounted on one leg of the tripod. The dish antenna can then be supported on the tripod leg and its azimuth orientation conveniently adjusted as desired. The present invention is particularly adaptable for two-way communications where it is desirable to be able to set up virtually anywhere.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention involves a collapsible tripod mount for a portable dish antenna assembly. The assembly includes a dish member and a post member extending downwardly from it. The tripod in turn includes three legs selectively lockable in an open position to support the dish antenna assembly and a collapsed or closed position with the dish antenna assembly removed. In the collapsed position, the tripod legs are closely adjacent one another and securely locked in place for storage or transport.
The locking arrangement for both the open and collapsed positions of the tripod includes a plate with first and second sets of holes. Each set of holes selectively receives end portions of the tripod legs. The holes of the first set are spaced about a vertical axis and receive the end portions of the tripod legs with the tripod in its open position. Similarly, the second set of holes receives the end portions when the tripod is in its collapsed or closed position. The locking plate in this regard is pivotally mounted to one of the tripod legs for movement about a horizontal axis. In operation, the plate can be pivoted upwardly to lift the holes away from receiving the end portions of the legs. Thereafter, the legs can be moved as desired between the open and closed positions and the plate again pivoted downwardly to receive the leg end portions in the desired set of holes to lock the legs securing in place.
The post member extending downwardly from the dish member of the dish antenna assembly is supported on one leg of the tripod, which leg includes an adjustable azimuth arrangement. In use, the azimuth arrangement with the post member of the dish antenna assembly supported on it can be adjusted as desired about a vertical axis to properly orient the dish member of the assembly. The adjustable azimuth arrangement has a truncated conical member with a horizontal slot. The post member is preferably cylindrical with a lower open end that has a pin extending across it. In use, the cylindrical open end can be placed over the truncated conical member at an inclined angle with the pin at least partially received in the slot and most of the weight of the dish antenna assembly supported on the tripod. The post member with the dish member attached to it can then be easily moved or rocked to align the post member vertically on the conical member with the pin fully received in the slot.
In doing so, the post member strikes and closes two clamp arms mounted on the locking plate. After adjusting the azimuth orientation of the conical member and post and dish members supported on it, the clamp arms can be tightened to securely hold the post member and attached dish member in place. In aligning the dish member for the strongest receiving and/or transmitting signal, the dish member extends away from the post member toward the vertical axis of the tripod 1. The bulk of the weight (e.g., 40 pounds) of the dish antenna assembly is then positioned substantially centrally over the tripod for a strong and stable mount.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tripod of the present invention with the dish antenna assembly supported on it.
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the tripod and post member of the dish antenna assembly supported on it.
FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but with the arms of the clamping arrangement for the post member open.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tripod with its clamping arms open and the post member of the dish antenna assembly removed from it.
FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.
FIGS. 8-11 sequentially show how the legs of the tripod can be collapsed to the compact and closed position of FIG. 11.
FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the locking plate member of the tripod with the post member of the dish antenna assembly shown being inserted into the clamping arrangement.
FIG. 12
a is a view taken along line 12a-12a of FIG. 12.
FIG. 13 is a top plane view of the locking plate member with the post member secured to it.
FIG. 13
a is a view taken along line 13a-13a of FIG. 13.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the adjustable azimuth arrangement mounted on one of the tripod legs.
FIG. 15 is a view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 14.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tripod 1 of the present invention is designed to support the dish antenna assembly 2. The dish antenna assembly 2 in this regard includes the dish member 4 and the post member 6 extending downwardly therefrom. In use as illustrated, the post member 6 is supported on one leg 3 of the tripod 1. Additionally, and when not in use, the legs 3, 5, and 7 of the tripod mount 1 can be collapsed from their open position of FIGS. 1 and 2 to a closed position for storage or transport. This is accomplished via the steps illustrated in FIGS. 3-10 and described in more detail below. With these steps, the tripod 1 is moved from the open position of FIGS. 1 and 2 to the locked and compact, closed position of FIG. 11.
In collapsing the tripod 1 from its operating open position of FIGS. 1 and 2, the post member 6 of the dish antenna assembly 1 is first released from the clamping arrangement 9 of the tripod 1 (FIGS. 3-5) and removed from it (FIG. 6). To do this, the tightening bolt 11 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is first unscrewed or released. The clamp arms 13 can then be opened (FIG. 5) and the post member 6 removed (FIG. 6). Thereafter and with the central securing nut 15 and washer 17 for the locking plate member 21 of FIGS. 6 and 7 removed, the locking plate member 21 can be pivoted relative to the tripod leg 3 about the substantially horizontal axis H of FIG. 7. As shown, this pivoting motion about the axis H allows the locking plate member 21 to be moved or lifted from its lowered position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 7) to its raised position (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 7).
In moving the locking plate member 21 from its lowered, substantially horizontal position of FIGS. 6 and 7 to its raised or inclined position as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first set of holes 23′, 25′, and 27′ in the locking plate member 21 (FIG. 8) are moved upwardly. This upward movement lifts the first set of holes 23′, 25′, and 27′ away from receiving the upper end portions 3′, 5′, and 7′ of the tripod legs 3, 5, and 7 (compare FIGS. 6 and 8). The tripod legs 3, 5, and 7 with the locking plate 21 lifted as in FIG. 8 can then be rotated (FIG. 9) about the vertical axis V of the tripod 1 to the closed position of FIG. 10 and locked in place by again lowering the locking plate member 21 (FIG. 11). At this point, the upper end portions 3′, 5′, and 7′ of the tripod legs 3, 5, and 7 are then received in the second set of holes 231, 25″, and 27″. With the nut 15 for the locking plate member 21 again tightened (FIG. 11), the collapsed tripod 1 is thus securely locked in place in its closed and compact position. In this closed position of FIG. 11, the elongated tripod legs 3, 5, and 7 are adjacent one another and their longitudinal axes L are substantially parallel to each other. The upper end portions 3′, 5′, and 7′ and lower end portions 3″, 5″, and 71″ of the legs 3, 5, and 7 are also closely grouped together.
As discussed above, the locking plate member 21 selectively secures the tripod legs 3, 5, and 7 in their open position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and closed or collapsed position (FIG. 11). As also set forth above, this is accomplished by providing the first set (23′, 25′, and 27′) and second set (23′, 25″, and 27″) of holes in the locking plate member 21 (FIGS. 6 and 12). The first set of holes 23′, 25′, and 27′ receives the upper end portions 3′, 5′, and 7′ of the open tripod 1 when the locking plate member 21 is in its lowered position of FIGS. 6 and 12. In this lowered position as indicated above, the tripod legs 3, 5, and 7 are spaced from each other about the vertical axis V (FIGS. 1 and 2). Additionally, the longitudinal axes L of the legs 3, 5, and 7 are inclined to the vertical axis V as also illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6. In the closed or collapsed position of the tripod 1 in FIG. 11, the upper end portions 3′, 5′, and 7′ of the legs 3, 5, and 7 are then received in the second set of holes 23′, 25″, and 27″, in the locking plate member 21. It is noted in this regard that the first and second sets of holes share the common hole 23′. In this manner and in both tripod positions, the lowered locking plate 21 prevents the legs 3, 5, and 7 from being rotated relative to each other about the vertical axis V.
The holes in the locking plate member 21 as best seen in FIG. 12 preferably have rectangular sides s. These sides s substantially match the sides s′ of the rectangular cross section of each tripod leg 3, 5, and 7. In use, the upper end portions 3′, 5′, and 7′ are at least partially received in the rectangular (e.g., square) holes with the corresponding straight sides s and s′ of the holes and legs adjacent or abutting one another. In this manner, the tripod legs 3, 5, and 7 are securely held in place in both the open (FIG. 6) and closed (FIG. 11) positions.
As best seen in FIG. 12, the first and second sets of holes are on one side of a vertical plane P. This vertical plane P contains the horizontal pivotal axis H of the locking plate member 21. As also shown in FIG. 12, the holes 23′, 25′, and 27′ of the first set are spaced about the vertical axis V from one another. As further illustrated, the holes 23′, 25″, and 27″ of the second set are on an opposite side of a vertical plane P′ (which contains the vertical axis V) from the holes 25′ and 27′ of the first set. It is also noted that the corresponding sides s of the rectangular holes 23′, 25″, and 27″ of the second set are preferably parallel to one another as shown. In contrast, the corresponding sides s of the one hole 23′ and hole 25′ (or 27′) of the first set are at angles to each other. These orientations aid in properly aligning and rigidly securing the tripod legs 3, 5 and 7 in their open and closed positions.
The upper end portions 3′, 5′, and 7′ of each tripod leg 3, 5, and 7 as perhaps best seen in FIGS. 2, 7, and 10 include a substantially annular member 35 extending about the vertical axis V (FIG. 7). Each annual member 35 as shown is connected to the elongated portion of each leg 3, 5, and 7 by a flange 37 (FIG. 7). The annular members 35 are stacked atop one another as in FIG. 7 along the vertical axis V. In addition to the securing mechanism or nut 15 on the central bolt 39 in FIG. 7, an arrangement of one or more bolts 41 can also be provided. These bolts 41 can be selectively tightened as desired to draw the annular members 35 together to further resist rotation of the annular member 35 and legs 3, 5, and 7 about the vertical axis V.
Another feature of the present invention is that the tripod 1 includes an adjustable azimuth arrangement 51 as perhaps best seen in FIGS. 2, 6, and 14-15. The adjustable azimuth arrangement 51 as shown is mounted on the tripod leg 3 adjacent the upper end portion 3′ thereof (FIG. 14). The azimuth arrangement 51 includes the truncated, substantially conical member 53. As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the truncated conical member 53 has a substantially horizontal slot 55 extending along a horizontal axis h. The axis h and slot 55 in this regard extends substantially toward the tripod vertical axis V (see also FIG. 6). The downwardly extending post member 6 of the dish antenna assembly 2 in turn is provided with a pin 8 (FIG. 6). The pin 8 extends across the open end of the substantially cylindrical post member 6. In operation as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 12a, the post member 6 (with the dish member 4 of the antenna assembly 2 attached thereto) can be first partially received or set in the slot 55 (FIG. 12a) In this position, most of the weight of the dish antenna assembly 2 is supported on the tripod 1 with the post member 6 inclined to the vertical. The clamp arms 13 of the locking plate member 21 are also open as shown in FIG. 12. The post member 6 can thereafter be easily moved or rocked to the vertical position of FIGS. 13 and 13a to align it on the truncated conical member 53 with the vertical azimuth axis A.
In doing so, the post member 6 (as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 12) will contact or abut the corners 13′, of the clamp arms 13 (see also FIG. 5). This will cause the clamp arms 13 to automatically pivot about their axes 59 and close about the post member 6 as in FIG. 13. With the securing bolt 11 of the clamping arrangement 9 snugly (but not tightly) closing the clamp arms 13 about the post member 6, the turnbuckle at 61 of the adjustable azimuth arrangement 51 in FIGS. 6 and 14-15 can be manipulated. As perhaps best seen in FIG. 6, this will then serve to rotate the truncated conical member 53 and post member 6 supported thereon about the vertical azimuth axis A (see also FIG. 13a). Once the dish member 4 on the post member 6 is aligned as desired, the securing bolt 11 of the clamping arrangement 9 in FIG. 13 can be tightened in place. In aligning the dish member 4 for the strongest receiving and/or transmitting signal, the dish member 4 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 extends away from the post member 6 and the azimuth axis A toward the vertical axis V of the tripod 1. The bulk of the weight (e.g., 40 pounds) of the dish antenna assembly 2 is then positioned substantially centrally over the tripod 1 for a strong and stable mount.
The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of the present invention described in detail with respect to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in this art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, other structural arrangements, and other embodiments could be practiced under the teachings of the present invention without departing from the scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.