Patent ID: 6688565
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: F16M

Abstract:
A multi-leg stand, comprising:a vertical main tube; a set of connecting elements mounted to a top of said main tube for connecting a lighting fixture or a photographic apparatus to a top of said main tube; and a tripod structure connected to a bottom of said main tube and including an inner tube to which an elastically movable locking element, a first union, a second union, and a third union are sequentially mounted around said inner tube from top to bottom; each of said first, said second, and said third union having a leg connected thereto to radially extend therefrom, and each of said legs having a downward bent distal end; said locking element having a first engaging block downward projected from a bottom thereof to normally engage with one of a first and a second engaging recess provided on a top of said first union; said first and said second union being provided at respective bottoms with downward projected second and third engaging blocks, that circumferentially extend by a predetermined first angle, adapted to engage with third and fourth engaging recesses, that circumferentially extend by a predetermined second angle, provided on tops of said second and said third union, respectively; whereby when said first engaging block at the bottom of said locking element is engaged with said first engaging recess on the top of said first union, all said legs of said tripod structure are located at the same side of said vertical main tube in a folded position; and when said first engaging block at the bottom of said locking element is engaged with said second engaging recess on the top of said first union, all said legs of said tripod structure are equally angularly spaced to radially extend from said inner tube to stably support said main tube in an upright position; and when said first engaging block of said locking element is elastically released from said first or said second engaging recess on said first union, said first union is turnable in one direction relative to said third union by 240 degrees while automatically brings said second union to turn in the same one direction relative to said third union by 120 degrees.