Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A.t.k. International, Inc.

Brian B Conaty

Gregor Mittersinker

Soojung Ham

James Meyer

Prabhat K Sinha

Thomas A Greenwood

Daniel K Moon

Ingrid Shao-Ying Huang

Jasper L Steyn

Philip G Kong

A multi-leg equipment stand has a unitary user interface. All legs can be adjusted simultaneously, or, an individual leg can be adjusted, by distinct motions of the interface. A collar is near to an equipment support shoulder. Rotation around a vertical axis releases all legs. For a tripod, tilting the collar in one direction releases only one of three legs. The tilt may be toward the leg to be moved. The legs have adjacent, telescoping components. A control rod extends from the collar, through the hollow interior of the upper component, to a jam-plate, at the lower end of the upper component. The plate jams between an inside of the lower component, and an inside of the upper component. The rod passes through the jam-plate. Pushing the rod tilts the jam-plate, freeing it from jamming. A spring returns it to jamming if released. For each leg, the collar underside has a two level cam recess. The rods each have a cam follower surface at their shoulder end. Rotating the collar pushes each of the rods, releasing all jam-plates. Returning the collar allows the rods to move back, under influence of springs. Tilting the collar in any one of the leg directions pushes only one of the rods, tilting and releasing one jam-plate. The rod and jam-plate may be used with a single leg. The user interface can be used with two or more legs. The jam-plate may lock against a bushing, rather than directly against the upper component. Rather than rods that are pushed, cables can be pulled. Three component legs can also be activated using jam-plates.

Multi-legged equipment support for cameras, spotting telescopes and the like and jam-plate lock for same

A clip for a writing instrument has an external biasing mechanism separate from the connection of the clip to the writing instrument to avoid permanent deformation or breaking of the clip arm and wear on the writing instrument body. The biasing mechanism is a coil spring mounted on the clip arm between two supports for compression and flexion when the clip arm is pulled away from the side of the writing instrument.

Pen clip

Growing community of inventors

Wilmington, DE, United States of America

Brian B Conaty