Patent ID: 8505867

Claim:
A foldable tripod ( 3 ) for a satellite dish antenna system, said foldable tripod including: a central member ( 11 ) extending substantially about a first central axis ( 43 ) and having three arm portions ( 45 ) extending outwardly of the first central axis ( 43 ) in respective deployed positions along respective second axes ( 47 ), said second axes ( 47 ) being substantially perpendicular to the first central axis ( 43 ) and being spaced from each other substantially 120 degrees about the first central axis ( 43 ), each of said arm portions having at least two, substantially parallel side walls ( 49 ) spaced from each other, each of said arm portions ( 45 ) respectively having an elongated support leg ( 9 ) attached thereto, each elongated support leg having an upper and lower elongated section ( 9 ′, 9 ″) with the respective upper section thereof attached to the respective arm portion ( 45 ) of the central member ( 11 ) for pivotal movement about a respective third axis ( 33 ), each respective third axis ( 33 ) passing through the respective side walls ( 49 ) of the respective arm portion ( 45 ) and extending substantially perpendicular to the respective second axis ( 47 ), said upper section ( 9 ′) at the respective third axis ( 33 ) being received between the respective side walls ( 49 ) of the respective arm portion ( 45 ), the upper and lower sections of each support leg being mounted to each other for pivotal movement about a respective fourth axis ( 37 ), said third and fourth axes ( 33 , 37 ) being substantially parallel to each other, each lower section ( 9 ″) of each support leg having a free end spaced from the respective fourth axis ( 37 ), each elongated support leg ( 9 ) being movable from an extended position with the upper and lower elongated sections ( 9 ′, 9 ″) thereof substantially aligned with each other along a common fifth axis ( 41 ) and respectively extending away from the fourth axis ( 37 ) and away from each other axially along said common fifth axis and a retracted position with the respective lower section ( 9 ″) pivoted about the respective fourth axis ( 37 ) to be substantially parallel to the upper section ( 9 ′) with the free end of the lower section ( 9 ″) received between the side walls ( 49 ) of the respective arm portion ( 45 ) and said upper and lower sections ( 9 ′, 9 ″) extending substantially parallel to the first central axis ( 43 ) of the central member ( 11 ) of the tripod ( 3 ).