Folding base

A folding base has a hinge body, and a stand emanates vertically from adjacent a center of the hinge body. A plurality of legs radiate from the hinge body and provide ground contact. Between and pivotally coupling each leg to the hinge body is one of a plurality of torque hinges, so that individual ones of the legs are rotationally coupled to the hinge body through a torque generating member. Preferably the torque required to pivot a leg with respect to the hinge body is greater than that generated solely by lifting a leg from the ground or supporting surface. The torque hinge may also be knurled to permit a secure and permanent press fit to the associated leg and the hinge body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains generally to supports, and more specifically to folding stands. In one preferred manifestation of the invention, the invention pertains to microphone stands, though the present invention is not solely limited thereto.

2. Description of the Related Art

Boom stands, which will be understood herein as vertically rising stands having at least one arm capable of extension in a horizontal direction, are used to support many diverse items. Lights, microphones, cameras, and many other electrical and non-electrical items too numerous to individually list herein are supported thereon. Most commonly, the item to be supported will preferably be easily relocated, as will the stand or at least the boom. This ability to provide relatively adjustable and easily relocated support is in great demand. Frequently, a plurality of these boom stands will be required, such as, for exemplary purposes but not limited thereto, in the case of a musical or theatrical performance where different performers or different parts of a stage are preferred to be either illuminated or coupled into an audio system.

Depending upon the particular item to be supported, the boom stand may have several requirements which must be met to perform satisfactorily. Among these, one common requirement is the ability to readily and rapidly reposition the boom, and then subsequent to the repositioning, anchor the boom into a new fixed position. This ability to readily and rapidly reposition the boom permits the stand to be placed at a convenient location along the ground or floor, without great care in the precise positioning. Once the base is located, then the boom arm may be moved into proper alignment. When any of the moving joints or connections are adjusted into new position, it is most desirable for the positions to be arrived at smoothly, and then locked into place without significant change of position during locking.

Since the boom may extend some distance from the base, it is generally desirable to incorporate significant mass into the base, to provide some measure of stability during movement or adjustment of the boom and subsequent thereto to best maintain the location of the boom. Unfortunately, in the prior art this often led to the use of a large and very massive base, typically of disc, slightly domed, or similar shape. Such a base is not readily transported, nor can it be used or stored in close arrangement with other bases. Consequently, it is not possible to tightly and compactly arrange, use or store a plurality of similar stands.

While the application for the boom stand will to some degree potentially affect the various dimensions and some of the configurations not only of the base, but of the stand as well, including such things as particular lengths or dimensions of the base and the boom, most desirably a boom stand will offer substantial flexibility in both application and physical arrangement and positioning. This flexibility is a desirable part of the benefits of such a stand, which is in part what separates such a stand from a fixture or anchored support.

Other patents illustrate various torque hinges and similar apparatus, the teachings and contents which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,041 by Brueder, entitled “Braking device for holding a pivot pin against motion”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,083 by Arnold et al, entitled “Torque limiting spring hinge”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,505 by Kempf, entitled “Torque limiting device with restraining mechanism”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,125 by Gannon, entitled “Clip friction hinge”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,539 by Wahlstedt et al, entitled “Torsion friction spring hinge”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,540 by Carpenter et al, entitled “Equilibrated hinge with variable frictional torque”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,549 by Soderlund, entitled “Torsion rod hinge with friction dampening”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,123 by Wahlstedt, entitled “Clip friction hinge with housing”; U.S. Pat. No. 8,523,476 by Billings, entitled “Positioning and damper device using shear force from cyclic differential compressive strain of a cross-linked thermoplastic”; 2007/0212162 by Schank et al, entitled “Shearing-force mechanism with cross-linked thermoplastic”; 2007/0234517 by Larson et al, entitled “Overmolded hinge with insert washer”; and 2007/0278050 by Larson et al, entitled “Toe position control”. In addition to the foregoing patents, Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition copyright 1983, is incorporated herein by reference in entirety for the definitions of words and terms used herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first manifestation, the invention is a folding base. The folding base has a hinge body, and a vertically extensive stand emanating vertically from adjacent a center of said hinge body. A plurality of legs radiate from the hinge body. At least one of the plurality of legs distal to the hinge body defines a surface contact point. At least one torque hinge pivotally couples the at least one of the plurality of legs to the hinge body.

In a second manifestation, the invention is a folding base having a plurality of legs radiating from a hinge body, and a plurality of torque hinges each coupled at a first member to the hinge body and coupled at a second member to an individual one of the plurality of legs, individual ones of the first member and second member rotationally coupled to each other through a torque generating member.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention solve inadequacies of the prior art by providing a folding base having torque hinges that couple solid legs to a hinge body. The resulting folding base is adapted to support one or more of a variety of known devices thereon. More specifically, but not limited thereto, microphones, cameras, lights, medical equipment, and many other devices may be supported therefrom. The support of sensitive electrical or electronic equipment is most preferred, especially pertaining to microphones, but the application of the present invention is not solely limited thereto and is instead contemplated by the present inventors to have other applications as well.

The present invention and the preferred and alternative embodiments have been developed with a number of objectives in mind. While not all of these objectives are found in every embodiment, these objectives nevertheless provide a sense of the general intent and the many possible benefits that are available from embodiments of the present invention.

A first object of the invention is to provide a folding base that is both cost effective and stable, while also being portable. A second object of the invention is to support higher weight loads than available in the prior art for a given base weight. Another object of the present invention is for the legs to lock when the torque applied thereto falls below static and dynamic thresholds. As a corollary thereto, it is an object of the invention to provide a stand that can be set vertically onto an irregular surface, or tilted to a desired angle, without any special instructions, tools, or techniques, and without any change in settings. As a further corollary thereto, it is an object of the invention that each leg stays in the open position when the stand is tilted, to maintain counterbalance and reduce the likelihood that the stand will tip. As a yet further corollary thereto, it is an object of the invention to provide a fixing force to keep stand legs folded when in a collapsed position for transport, to permit the stand to be carried while folded and not fly open. Yet another object of the present invention is to enables a simple central casting or forming for the hinge body that requires minimal machining, thereby keeping cost down and simplifying assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment folding base1designed in accord with the teachings of the present invention is provided with a plurality of legs10. While three legs10are illustrated in the preferred embodiment, thereby forming a tripod, it will be understood that the number of legs10provided will be determined by a designer. Three legs10are preferred, owing to fact that three contact points are the minimum number required for a stable support.

Each leg10is terminated at one end with a foot14, with one ground or supporting floor or surface contact point or area defined by each foot14. In the preferred embodiment, feet14are preferably elastomeric, manufactured from rubber or other resilient compounds, to provide a desired combination of vibration isolation between preferred embodiment folding base1and the supporting floor or surface, to serve as a soft, non-marring and protective terminus for leg10, and also to provide some degree of friction there between to provide a more secure anchor. Nevertheless, these rubber or elastomeric feet14may be replaced with casters or wheels, which will permit the folding stand to be used in applications where a wheeled stand is preferred. Examples of diverse applications include but are not limited to IV stands, electronic equipment, or for other diverse use. With differently configured feet or for other intended purposes, either more or fewer legs10may be provided.

At an end distal to foot14, each leg10is pivotally coupled to a centrally located hinge body30. Hinge body30, for exemplary purposes only and not solely limiting the invention thereto, might comprise a relatively simple cast or stamped metal. Hinge body30includes a central stand coupler32and a plurality of U-shaped or folded leg receivers34. The number of U-shaped leg receivers34will match the number of legs10provided. For most but not all applications, it will be preferred that U-shaped leg receivers34and legs10radiate from hinge body30at equal or nearly equal angular increments, to ensure equal stability of preferred embodiment folding base1regardless of a direction that an unbalancing or potentially tipping force is applied.

In preferred embodiment folding base1as illustrated, U-shaped leg receivers34are open in a downward direction, and otherwise closed. This means that U-shaped leg receivers34cover the pivotal connection between legs10and hinge body30when in use, both concealing them from ordinary eyesight and also sheltering them from dust, debris and liquids that might be dropped or spilled thereupon. This also means that legs10will fold downward to a position parallel with elongate rod or tube42, when legs10are collapsed. Furthermore, U-shaped leg receivers34will restrict the range of upward pivot of a leg10relative to hinge body30. Nevertheless, it will be apparent that U-shaped receivers34might alternatively be flipped to be open in an upward direction, and if so then legs10would instead also fold upwards to the collapsed transport or storage position. Caps24may optionally be provided to cover and decorate the connections to hinge body30, if so desired. If caps24are provided, then cap fasteners25may further be provided if desired.

Emanating vertically from the center of hinge body30is a vertically extensive stand40, which will typically comprise an elongate rod or tube42. The particular stand40is not critical to the present invention, and will be determined by a designer based upon the particular application for the present invention.

Each leg10may preferably comprise a solid metal rod referred to herein generally as leg member12, which provides strength and sufficient mass to improve the stability of preferred embodiment folding base1. However, from a reading of the present disclosure those skilled in the mechanical arts will recognize that various alternative techniques for weighting may be used. For exemplary purposes, and not solely limiting the invention thereto, the addition or use of particularly dense materials such as lead or brass in leg10, preferably more distal to hinge body30, may provide enough mass to allow leg members12to be tubular or of other suitable geometry. There may also be particular applications where less mass is required, such as when vertically extensive stand40is quite short relative to the length of legs10, or when there is a very light or low-torque load carried upon vertically extensive stand40. Leg members12are illustrated as being rod-shaped, but the particular geometry of leg members12or the geometric shape of their cross-section is not so limited, and they may take any suitable geometry.

FIGS. 4 and 5illustrate preferred embodiment folding base hinge body30, with leg members12emanating therefrom. In the center of hinge body30there is provided a central stand coupler32of any suitable geometry and operation which will be used to couple with an elongate rod or tube42that forms a part of vertically extensive stand40. A plurality of U-shaped leg receivers34are provided around central stand coupler32, each one of which preferably receives a leg10.

Visible inFIG. 5are torque hinges20that each provide pivotal coupling between one leg10and one U-shaped leg receiver34. The operation of torque hinges20is similar to that illustrated in various ones of the torque hinge patents incorporated herein above by reference. Essentially, a torque hinge shaft21may only be rotated with respect to a torque hinge housing26when sufficient torque is applied there between.

Each individual one of torque hinges20is rigidly coupled through torque hinge housing26to a bore or hole16formed in a leg10. Likewise, torque hinge shaft21extending from torque hinge housing26is rigidly coupled to U-shaped leg receiver34. If desired, caps24and cap fasteners25such as socket head screws may be provided as well.

FIGS. 7-9illustrates the preferred embodiment torque hinge20used in the preferred embodiment folding base1ofFIGS. 1-6. A preferred torque hinge20may include clips27such as are visible inFIG. 9to create a controlled and predictable torque required to move shaft21relative to housing26. This is known in the art of torque hinges, and illustrated for exemplary purposes in US published patent application 2007/0234517 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,123, each owned by Reell Precision Manufacturing Corporation of St. Paul, Minn. The particular hinge illustrated herein is commercially available from Reell Precision Manufacturing Corporation.

While prior art torque hinges illustrate the general concept of a torque hinge, a preferred embodiment torque hinge20used in accord with the teachings of the present invention has several unique characteristics. The first is a high static and dynamic torque required to generate motion between torque hinge shaft21and torque hinge housing26. In preferred embodiment folding base1, for exemplary and non-limiting purposes, this is 5 NM (Newton-Meters) of torque. A preferred torque hinge20will also be denoted as symmetric, meaning the torque threshold required to initiate rotation is independent of direction of rotation, though both the amount of torque and the symmetry of the torque required may be varied at the time of design. Most preferably, the torque required to pivot a leg10with respect to hinge body30will be greater than that generated solely by lifting foot14from the ground or supporting surface. This ensures that leg10remains locked in an extended position, meaning that tilting of stand40requires lifting the entire weight of leg10. Noteworthy is that many prior art torque hinges do not offer this level of torque. Furthermore, many prior art portable weighted bases only lift the leg adjacent to the base, allowing the leg to pivot with respect to the base. This means that for these prior art bases, only approximately one-half of the weight of the leg needs to be lifted for the stand to tilt. In contrast, to tilt preferred embodiment folding base1, an entire leg10must be lifted.

Most preferably, torque hinge shaft21is affixed rigidly with U-shaped leg receiver34. This may, for exemplary purposes, be achieved by pressing, deforming, welding, adhesively bonding, or otherwise fastening the two together. Torque hinge caps24can include fasteners such as socket head screws to assist in this attachment, though as noted, any suitable means may be provided and a screw-free attachment is most preferred.

A second unique characteristic of preferred embodiment torque hinge20is the extension of shaft21. In order to enable press-fit attachment, preferred embodiment torque hinge20such as illustrated inFIGS. 7-9will preferably have a shaft21that extends at both ends beyond torque hinge housing26so that both ends22,23are accessible beyond housing26. The use of a metal composition for the fabrication of hinge bodies30and shaft21permits one or both of ends22,23to be provided with knurls that may then be press-fit into U-shaped leg receiver34at the time of manufacture. This facilitates rigid affixing of shaft21to hinge body U-shaped leg receiver34that wraps about the distal shaft ends22,23.

Torque hinge housing26is most preferably also knurled, and is dimensioned to be pressed into a hole16formed in leg10, such as illustrated inFIG. 6. Hole16may for exemplary purposes be drilled, but may otherwise be formed through each leg10. To achieve a desirable stability in the preferred embodiment folding base1, legs10will preferably be of significant mass. This is achieved by the combination of being solid, and also preferably by the use of materials that are both sturdy and dense. In the preferred embodiment, this is achieved using a suitable metal rod. Selection of a suitable material for the housing of the torque hinge will ensure appropriate and potentially permanent deformation of either torque hinge housing26or hole16in leg10, or both. Most preferably, this deformation will be sufficiently strong to withstand all forces that the preferred embodiment folding base will encounter, sot that in operation each torque hinge housing26stays secured within hole16in the associated leg10.

Preferred embodiment folding base1is both cost effective and stable, while also offering portability. As a result of the combination of features of preferred embodiment folding base1, very high weight loads can be supported. Furthermore, the use of the preferred torque hinge20allows legs10to lock when the torque applied thereto falls below the static and dynamic thresholds. No further action is required by a person setting up preferred embodiment folding base1, other than pushing on legs10to set them in a desired position. This is extremely beneficial, since preferred embodiment folding base1can be set up on an irregular surface and readily manually aligned vertically, or if desired manually tilted to a desired angle therefrom, without any special instructions or techniques and without any change in settings.

In operation, it is very important for each leg10to stay in the open position when vertically extensive stand40is tilted, to maintain counterbalance using the full weight of leg10to help prevent preferred embodiment folding base1from tipping. If a leg10were to drop when stand40is tilting, substantial counterbalance is lost and preferred embodiment folding base1would be more likely to fall over.

Owing to the continuous and symmetric nature of preferred torque hinge20and the high torque required for rotation, folded legs10will not drop when preferred embodiment folding base1is transported in a collapsed position. This means that preferred embodiment folding base1can be carried while legs10are folded, and legs10will not fly open. Further, preferred torque hinge20enables a simple central casting or forming of hinge body30that requires minimal machining, thereby keeping cost down. Assembly is a matter of pressing parts together. No screws or tapped holes are required.

While the foregoing details what is felt to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, no material limitations to the scope of the claimed invention are intended. Further, features and design alternatives that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be incorporated herein. The scope of the invention is set forth and particularly described in the claims herein below.