Tripod with horizontal and vertical sensing means for a camcorder

Disclosed is a tripod for a camcorder which comprises a head part with an adjustment handle for holding the camcorder, a horizontal sensing means mounted on one side of the head part for sensing the horizontal position of the camcorder, a leg part for supporting the head part, and a vertical sensing means mounted on a head fixing central shaft extended from the bottom of the head part for sensing the vertical position of the camcorder.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention concerns a tripod for supporting a camera or 
camcorder, and more particularly a tripod with horizontal and vertical 
levels for easily adjusting the horizontal and vertical positions of the 
camcorder when positioning the tripod. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A conventional tripod for a camcorder is constructed as shown in FIG. 1, 
where a head part 102 with an adjustment handle 103 is mounted on the 
upper end of the tripod. The leg part 104 has an adjustment fixing member 
105. The camcorder 101 is mounted on the head part 102. 
Although the leg part 104 is foldable, the horizontal and vertical 
positions of the tripod may be partly adjusted only by the adjustment 
handle 103 attached to the head part 102. 
The leg part 104 can be expanded or contracted in triangular directions and 
be fixed by the adjustment fixing member 105 when moved upwardly and 
downwardly so as to stably adjust the vertical position of the head part 
102. Also the adjustment handle 103 is used to adjust the left/right or 
high/low position of the head and the setting position of the camcorder 
101. 
In such a conventional tripod, there is not provided a sensing means for 
showing whether the tripod is in horizontal and vertical position or 
balanced particularly when placed on an inclined or uneven surface, thus 
resulting in an undesirably processed image. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tripod for a 
camcorder with horizontal and vertical levels that helps the camcorder 
take pictures stably in horizontal and vertical position. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tripod for a 
camera and the like for precisely sensing the horizontal and vertical 
positions of the camera. 
According to the present invention, a tripod for a camcorder comprises a 
head part with an adjustment handle for holding the camcorder, a 
horizontal sensing means mounted on one side of the head part for sensing 
the horizontal position of the camcorder, a leg part for supporting the 
head part, and a vertical sensing means mounted on a head fixing central 
shaft extended from the bottom of the head part for sensing the vertical 
position of the camcorder. 
The present invention will now be described more specifically with 
reference to the drawings attached only by way of example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a tripod with a head part 2 on 
the upper end. A head fixing central shaft 8 is integrally extended from 
the central portion of the bottom of the head part 2. Along the head 
fixing central shaft 8 is mounted an adjustment fixing member 10 to guide 
and adjust the spreading angle of a leg part 3. There are also provided 
horizontal and vertical levels 4 and 5 that may be the kind of level for 
establishing a horizontal line or plane by means of a bubble in a liquid 
that shows adjustment to the horizontal by movement to the center of a 
glass tube. 
The horizontal and vertical levels 4 and 5 are mounted as shown in FIG. 3. 
Namely, the horizontal level 4 is fixedly interposed between an upper 
housing 6 and lower housing 6', which housings are fixed in a housing 
mounting portion 2a formed in one side of the head 2 by screws 7. The 
lower housing 6' has an opening 6a whose diameter has the size to 
sufficiently receive the horizontal level 4. The upper housing 6 mounted 
on the lower housing 6' has also an opening 6b whose diameter has the size 
to sufficiently allow the observance of the level but to prevent the level 
from escaping upwardly. 
Of course, the upper and lower housings 6 and 6' may be integrally formed 
as a single housing body with an internal cavity for receiving the level, 
or otherwise the level may be integrally formed with the head part 2 of 
the tripod, but it is more preferable that they are separately prepared so 
as to replace or repair a damaged level. 
Formed on the bottom of the lower housing 6' is a locking groove 6c engaged 
with a position fixing projection 2b formed in the head part 2, which also 
facilitates the precise positioning of the lower housing 6' and the head 
part 2. 
Meanwhile, the vertical level 5 is mounted on a selected position along the 
head fixing central shaft 8 integrally extended from the head part 2 that 
is mounted on the upper end of the leg part 3 of the tripod 1. The 
vertical level 5 has a hook member 5a that engages with the corresponding 
hook slot 8a formed in the shaft 8. Thus the vertical level 5 is firmly 
fixed to the head fixing central shaft 8 by means of the hook member 5a 
engaging the hook slot 8a. 
In operation, when setting the tripod 1 by spreading the leg part 3, the 
vertical level 5 mounted on the shaft 8 is observed in order to precisely 
position the tripod in vertical position, and then the horizontal level 4 
is observed in order to precisely position the head 2 in horizontal 
position by adjusting the left/right or up/down position of the head by 
using the adjustment handles 9, 9'. 
In addition, the slightly bowed observance window 4a of the level has a 
plurality of concentric indication lines 4b, whereby any positional 
changes or inclination of the tripod during image capturing is precisely 
observed so as to easily correct the error. 
As stated above, the tripod according to the present invention has the 
horizontal and vertical levels for showing the precise position so as to 
facilitate the correction of any positional errors, thus resolving the 
difficulties of precisely setting the tripod. 
Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific 
embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives and variations will be 
apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing 
description. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all of the 
alternatives and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the 
appended claims.