阅读说明：本技术 用于摄影器材的支撑三脚架 (Support tripod for photographic equipment ) 是由 安德里亚·门多 于 2019-07-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：用于录像摄影器材的支撑三脚架(1)包括：横向件(2),该横向件设置有用于一台录像摄影器材的接合装置(9)；多个支撑支腿(4),该多个支撑支腿可以相对于横向件(2)枢转,从而打开/闭合三脚架(1),每个支腿(4)包括：第一支腿部分(41),该第一支腿部分被联接到设置在横向件(2)上的对应的铰接元件(3),使得支腿(4)可以在闭合配置(W)和至少一个操作配置(K、K1)之间枢转,在该闭合配置中,多个支腿(4)被布置成彼此几乎平行,在该至少一个操作配置中,多个支腿相对于横向件(2)分开；以及第二支腿部分(42),该第二支腿部分意在被支撑在三脚架(1)的支撑表面上,该第二支腿部分与第一支腿部分(41)平行并且该第二支腿部分被连接到第一支腿部分(41),第二支腿部分(42)具有主要沿纵向轴线(Y)延伸的构件(40),其中,第二支腿部分(42)可以沿纵向轴线(Y)滑动,以便相对于第一支腿部分(41)移动,从而从横向件(2)释放该支腿,以使该支腿可相对于横向件(2)枢转。(A support tripod (1) for video and photographic equipment comprises: a cross member (2) provided with engagement means (9) for a piece of video-photographic equipment; a plurality of support legs (4) which can pivot with respect to the cross-piece (2) in order to open/close the tripod (1), each leg (4) comprising: a first leg portion (41) coupled to a corresponding articulation element (3) provided on the cross-piece (2) such that the legs (4) can pivot between a closed configuration (W) in which the legs (4) are arranged almost parallel to each other, and at least one operating configuration (K, K1) in which the legs are spaced apart with respect to the cross-piece (2); and a second leg portion (42) intended to be supported on a support surface of the tripod (1), parallel to the first leg portion (41) and connected to the first leg portion (41), the second leg portion (42) having a member (40) extending mainly along a longitudinal axis (Y), wherein the second leg portion (42) is slidable along the longitudinal axis (Y) so as to move with respect to the first leg portion (41) so as to release the leg from the cross-piece (2) so that the leg can pivot with respect to the cross-piece (2).)

1. A support tripod (1) for video and photographic equipment comprises: a cross-piece (2) provided with engagement means (9) for a piece of video and photographic equipment; a plurality of support legs (4) pivotable with respect to said cross-piece (2) so as to open/close said tripod (1), each leg (4) comprising: a first leg portion (41) coupled to a corresponding articulation element (3) provided on the cross-piece (2) such that the legs (4) are pivotable between a closed configuration (W) in which the plurality of legs (4) are arranged almost parallel to each other and at least one operating configuration (K, K1) in which they are spaced apart with respect to the cross-piece (2); and a second leg portion (42) intended to be supported on a support surface of the tripod (1), parallel to the first leg portion (41) and connected to the first leg portion (41), the second leg portion (42) having a member (40) extending mainly along a longitudinal axis (Y), characterized in that the second leg portion (42) is slidable along the longitudinal axis (Y) so as to move with respect to the first leg portion (41) so as to release the leg from the cross-piece (2) so as to enable the leg to pivot with respect to the cross-piece (2).

2. Tripod according to the preceding claim, wherein the second leg portion (42) and the first leg portion (41) are coaxial.

3. A tripod according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said second leg portion (42) is slidable along said longitudinal axis (Y) so as to move with respect to said first leg portion (41) in order to release said leg from said cross-piece (2) so as to enable said leg to pivot away from the closed configuration (W).

4. A tripod according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cross-piece comprises at least a first positioning element (20) and a second positioning element (21) circumferentially following each other about the rotation path of said legs (4) to define a first operating configuration (K) and a second operating configuration (K1) of said plurality of legs (4) having different opening angles (a, a 1) with respect to said closed configuration (W).

5. A tripod according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a blocking member (7) received in said second leg portion (42) and fixed to said second leg portion (42) so as to move therewith along said longitudinal axis (Y), said blocking member (7) being intended to block said leg (4) at least in said first operating configuration (K).

6. Tripod according to the preceding claim, wherein said blocking member (7) comprises a blocking pin (71) which extends along the longitudinal axis Y of the leg (4) and has a first portion (72) fixed to the second leg portion (42) and an opposite free end (73) intended to interact with the cross-piece (2) in order to block said leg (4).

7. Tripod according to the preceding claim, wherein said first positioning element (20) comprises a first abutment wall (20A) arranged almost parallel to said blocking pin (71) in said first operating configuration (K), said first abutment wall (20A) and said blocking pin (71) being arranged almost parallel to said longitudinal axis (Y) in said first operating configuration (K).

8. A tripod according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said first leg portion (41) comprises a second blocking member (16B) arranged to block said tripod (1) in a second operating configuration (K1) different from said first operating configuration (K).

9. Tripod according to the preceding claim, wherein said second positioning element (21) comprises a second abutment wall (21A) arranged almost parallel to said second blocking member (16B) in said second operating configuration (K1), said second abutment wall (21A) and said second blocking member (16B) being arranged almost parallel to said longitudinal axis (Y) in said second operating configuration (K1).

10. A tripod according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein said blocking member (7) further comprises a pressing member (74) configured to force said blocking pin (71) against said cross-piece (2).

11. A tripod according to any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein said first leg portion (41) is internally hollow so as to define a longitudinal cavity (13) in which a blocking pin (71) of said blocking member (7) is slidingly received.

12. A tripod according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an adjustment member (6) for adjusting the position of said second leg portion (42) with respect to said first leg portion (41) along said longitudinal axis (Y), said adjustment member (6) being fixedly joined to said second leg portion (42), preferably in terms of translational movement along said longitudinal axis (Y).

13. A tripod according to the preceding claim when depending on any one of claims 5 to 11, wherein said adjustment member (6), said blocking member (7) and said second leg portion (42) are fixedly joined in terms of translational movement along said longitudinal axis (Y).

14. A tripod according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an actuating member for moving said second leg portion (42) with respect to said first leg portion (41) along said longitudinal axis (Y) so as to release said leg from said crosspiece (2) so as to enable said leg to pivot with respect to said crosspiece (2), said actuating member being tubular in shape, said member (40) of said second leg portion (42) preferably forming said actuating member.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a support tripod, particularly but not exclusively intended to support video-photographic equipment, having the characteristics set forth in the preamble of the main claim.

Technical Field

In the field of photography it is well known to use support stands for photographic equipment, wherein tripods are found particularly widespread and appreciated both at the hobbyist level and at the professional level.

Tripods usually comprise a plurality of legs, all of which are hinged to a cross-piece (crosspiece, crossbar) on which an engagement plate for the video/photographic equipment items is fixed.

To change the height of the video/photographic equipment article relative to the ground or the support plane of the tripod, it is permissible to change the angle of the legs relative to the cross-piece.

WO2005/068895 in the name of the same applicant describes a tripod in which a sleeve is provided at each support leg which is hinged to the sleeve by a fork-like member.

Two teeth projecting to mutually different extents from the outer surface of the sleeve itself are provided on the outer surface of the sleeve.

A lever is provided on the base of the fork-like member, accessible to the user from outside the tripod when the tripod is in the open position, and is movable between three different operating positions in which it abuts against the outer surface of the sleeve, the first and second teeth, respectively, so as to position the tripod in the closed position and in two different operating positions in which the legs are moved apart at a predefined angle with respect to the cross-piece.

A disadvantage of such tripods is that the space requirement of the bar relative to the cross piece is externally projected in order to be gripped by the user. It may therefore be accidentally knocked and moved, causing unwanted movement of the tripod, or damage or destruction thereof.

Furthermore, the poles may remain tangled and possibly damaged during transport or use, and/or cause unwanted movement of the tripod.

This type of mechanism is complex, so the construction of the tripod is difficult and therefore the tripod has a considerable cost.

Furthermore, this type of mechanism has a considerable number of parts and is not suitable for use on tripods having small dimensions, such as for example desktop tripods.

Disclosure of Invention

The problem addressed by the present invention is to provide a closable tripod for photographic equipment, structurally and functionally configured to overcome the limitations set out by the prior art cited above with reference to the above. Against the background of this problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tripod that is simple to position and at the same time very secure.

Another object is to provide a tripod that can be closed and is provided with an adjustment that is at the same time easy to use and allows precise positioning of the tripod.

Another object is to provide a tripod that can be easily and quickly moved from a closed position to an operating position.

This problem is solved and this object is achieved by a tripod that can be closed and constructed according to the appended claims.

It should be noted that in the following description and claims, the term "tripod" is intended to be understood as meaning a support (stand: shelf, table, stand) provided with a cross-member coupling (articulation) having a plurality of legs, without any particular limitation as to the number of legs themselves, which may be three or else a number other than three.

Drawings

The features and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a front view of a tripod constructed according to the present invention in an operating configuration;

figure 2 is a sectional view of a detail of the tripod of figure 1, with some parts removed for the sake of clarity;

figure 3 is a sectional view of a detail of the tripod of figure 1 in a different operating configuration;

figure 3A is an enlarged view of a detail of the tripod of figure 3;

figure 4 is a front view of the tripod of figure 1 in a closed transport configuration;

figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tripod of figure 4 with some parts removed for clarity.

Detailed Description

In the drawings, a tripod constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally designated 1.

The tripod 1 comprises a cross-piece 2 formed so as to define a plurality of additional hinges, in the region of each of which a seat 5 for a hinge pin 3 is provided.

The tripod 1 further comprises a plurality of legs 4, each of which is hinged to a corresponding hinge pin 3 by a respective hinge portion 4A, so as to pivot about a hinge axis X with respect to the cross-piece 2 in both directions of the rotation arrow F1.

The hinge pin 3 includes: a rod (rod) 30 to which the hinge portion 4A of each leg 4 is rotatably connected; and two blocking heads 31, which are provided at opposite sides of the rod 30 and have a radial dimension greater than that of the rod 30, so as to prevent the hinge portion 4A from slipping out of the hinge pin 3.

The cross-piece 2 is formed so as to define a supporting base 8 for an item of videophotographic equipment, not shown in the figures and provided with engagement means 9 for engaging the item of videophotographic equipment to the cross-piece 2.

The engaging means 9 can be constructed in one of the ways known in the art.

The legs 4 of the tripod 1 are structurally and functionally identical and therefore, for the sake of brevity, only one of them is described below.

Each leg 4 of the tripod 1 extends along a longitudinal axis Y between a support portion 4B on the ground or desired support surface and an opposite articulation portion 4A, in the region of which the leg 4 is articulated to the cross-piece 2.

In a variant not shown, each leg 4 of the tripod 1 is telescopically tapered, so as to be able to vary its extension.

Each leg 4 is pivotable with respect to the cross-piece 2 between a closed transport configuration W, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, in which the legs 4 are arranged almost parallel to each other, and at least one operating configuration in which the legs are moved apart with respect to the cross-piece 2 and are inclined with respect to the closed configuration W by a predetermined opening angle.

In the variant shown, each leg 4 can be positioned in at least a first operating configuration K, shown in fig. 1 and 2, and in a second operating configuration K1, shown in fig. 3, and in which the legs 4 are in a position moved apart with respect to the cross-piece 2 and are inclined with respect to the closed transport configuration W, respectively, by a first and a second opening angle α, α 1 having mutually different values.

In each operating configuration K, K1, the legs 4 are blocked in rotation relative to the cross-member 2 and rotation of the legs 4 relative to the desired operating configuration K is prevented, which involves changing the opening angle α of the legs 4 relative to the cross-member 2.

The cross-member 2 is provided with a first positioning element 20 and a second positioning element 21 intended to interact with the legs 4 in order to block them respectively in a first operating configuration K and a second operating configuration K1, as better explained below.

In other variants not shown, the cross-piece may be provided with a different number of positioning elements defining different operating configurations of the tripod 1.

The first positioning element 20 and the second positioning element 21 follow each other circumferentially around the rotation path of the hinge portion 4A around the cross-piece 2 and define different operating configurations for the legs 4.

The first and second positioning elements 20, 21 define respective different operating configurations K, K1 of the leg 4 relative to the cross-member 2, each at a different opening angle of the leg 4.

The first and second positioning elements 20, 21 comprise abutment surfaces 20A, 21A intended to abut the leg 4 in the first and second operating configurations K, K1, respectively, and which are formed so as to prevent the leg 4 from rotating away from the closed transport configuration W, that is to say from rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow F2 in fig. 2 and 3, and this will be better explained below.

Each leg 4 comprises: a first leg portion 41 coupled to the hinge pin 3 by a hinge portion 4A such that the leg 4 can pivot relative to the cross member 2; and a second leg portion 42 which is parallel to the first leg portion 41 and which is connected to the first leg portion 41.

The end portion of the second leg portion 42 defines a support portion 4B for the leg 4.

In the variant shown, the second leg portion 42 and the first leg portion 41 are coaxial, but in other variants not shown, they may be parallel and non-coaxial.

The second leg portion 42 is slidable relative to the first leg portion 41 along the longitudinal axis Y so as to move relative to the first leg portion 41 to secure the leg 4 to the cross-member 2 and/or to release the leg from the cross-member, as will be better explained below.

The second leg portion 42 is slidable relative to the first leg portion 41 along the longitudinal axis Y so as to move away from and/or towards the first leg portion relative to the first leg portion 41, in order to secure the leg 4 to the cross-member 2 and/or to release the leg from the cross-member, as will be better explained below.

The second leg portion 42 serves as an actuating member for securing the leg 4 to the cross member 2 and/or for releasing the leg from the cross member.

Advantageously, the tubular member 40 of the second leg portion 42 acts as an actuating means for securing the leg 4 to the cross-piece 2 and/or for releasing the leg from the cross-piece.

The second leg portion 42 is slidable relative to the first leg portion 41 along the longitudinal axis Y in both directions of arrow F so as to move between an extended release configuration, not visible in the drawings, in which the second leg portion 42 is moved away from the first leg portion 41 and the leg 4 is released from the cross-member 2 and free to rotate relative to the cross-member in both directions of the rotational arrow F1, and a retracted engagement configuration, as shown in fig. 2, in which the second leg portion 42 abuts against the first leg portion 41 and the leg 4 is fixed to the cross-member 2 and is not free to rotate relative to the cross-member.

The first leg portion 41 is not movable in translation relative to the cross-member 2, but is hinged to the cross-member by means of a hinge pin 3.

The second leg portion 42 comprises a tubular member 40 which is substantially cylindrical and hollow internally and which extends between a proximal end 43 nearer the first leg portion 41 and an opposite distal end 44.

The second leg portion 42 is provided at the distal end 44 with a cover portion 45 or similar covering element defining a support portion 4B of the leg 4 on the ground.

The cover portion 43 is made of rubber or another non-slip material.

The second leg portion 42 is provided with an adjustment member 6 at the proximal end 43 in order to adjust the position of the second leg portion 42 relative to the first leg portion 41, as better explained below.

The adjustment member 6 is intended to adjust the translational movement of the second leg portion 42 along the longitudinal axis Y with respect to the first leg portion 41.

The adjustment member 6 is fixed to the second leg portion 42, and is fixedly joined thereto in terms of movement along the longitudinal axis Y.

Thus, the adjustment member 6 is movable relative to the first leg portion 41 along the longitudinal axis Y in a manner fixedly joined to the second leg portion 42.

The adjusting member 6 includes: a connecting member 61 insertable into the tubular member 40; and a cylindrical collar 62 integral with the connecting member 61 and intended to be positioned externally with respect to the tubular member 40.

The collar 62 is internally hollow so as to define the receiving cavity 18 and is delimited by an outer wall 62A intended to be gripped by a user in order to move the second leg portion 42, as better explained below. The collar 62 is coaxial with the tubular member 40.

Between the connecting member 61 and the collar 62, a connecting portion 66 is provided which, during use, is interposed between the tubular member 40 of the second leg portion 42 and the first leg portion 41.

The collar 62 also comprises a free edge 65 which is directed towards the first leg portion 41 and which can define an abutment element for the first leg portion 41 on the second leg portion 42.

The second leg portion 42 further comprises a blocking member 7 for blocking the leg 4 with respect to the cross member 2.

The blocking member 7 is fixedly joined to the second leg portion 42.

The blocking member 7 is fixedly joined to the second leg portion 42 along the longitudinal axis Y in terms of its translational movement.

Thus, the blocking member 7 is movable along the longitudinal axis Y relative to the first leg portion 41 in a manner fixedly joined to the second leg portion 42.

Accordingly, all three of the second leg portion 42, the adjusting member 6 and the blocking member 7 are fixedly joined in terms of translational movement along the longitudinal axis Y, and therefore, by moving the second leg portion 42 in a translational manner along the longitudinal axis Y, the adjusting member 6 and the blocking member 7 are also moved simultaneously.

Thus, by moving the second leg portion 42 away from the first leg portion 41, the adjustment member 6 and the blocking member 7 are also moved in a translational manner along the longitudinal axis Y with respect to the first leg portion 41, as better explained below.

The blocking means 7 comprise a blocking pin 71 which extends along the longitudinal axis Y of the leg 4 between a first portion 72 thereof, which is fixed to the connecting member 61 of the adjustment means 6, and a free end 73 intended to interact with the cross-piece 2 in order to block the leg with respect to the cross-piece 2 itself.

The free end 73 acts, in the first operating configuration K, as a blocking element for the leg 4 on the cross-piece 2, as better explained below.

The blocking member 7 also comprises a spring 74 which is coaxial with the blocking pin 71 and which is intended to push the blocking pin 7 against the cross-piece 2, as better explained below.

In other variants of the support of the invention, it is possible to provide pressing means other than springs and intended to press the blocking pin 7 towards the cross piece 2.

The spring 74 is preloaded to press the second leg portion 42 against the first leg portion 41, that is, to move the leg 4 into the retracted engagement configuration J.

The spring 74 is fixed at its opposite first and second ends 75, 76 to the blocking pin 71 and the first leg portion 41, respectively, as better explained below.

The first leg portion 41 can pivot with respect to the cross-member 2 and is fixed in terms of translational movement with respect to the cross-member 2 itself.

The first leg portion 41 comprises a sleeve 11 which extends along the longitudinal axis Y of the leg 4 and which is internally hollow so as to define a longitudinal cavity 13 in which a blocking pin 71 is slidably received.

The sleeve 11 is slidable in the receiving cavity 18 of the collar 62 when inserted, so as to be slidable inside the cavity along the longitudinal axis Y of the leg 4.

The first leg portion 41 further comprises a fork-shaped member 15 coaxial with the sleeve 11 and extending from the sleeve 11 towards the cross-piece 2, and provided with a base 17 of the fork-shaped member fixed to the sleeve 11 and from which extend two arms 16 facing each other and hinged to the hinge pin 30 by respective hinge ends 16A.

The hinging end 16A is provided with a hole, which is not visible in the drawings and which is intended to receive a hinging pin 30 in a sliding manner in order to pivot the leg 4 with respect to the cross-piece 2.

The arms 16 of the fork-shaped member 15 are connected to each other by a connecting wall 16B, which is shown in fig. 2 and 3 and which is configured to engage with the cross-piece 2 in the second operating configuration K1, so as to block the legs 4 in this configuration, as will be better explained below.

The fork-shaped member 15 is advantageously integral with the sleeve 11.

Advantageously, the first leg portion 41 is formed by a single member comprising the fork member 15 and the sleeve 11, as well as other parts.

The fork-shaped member 15 defines a receiving cavity 14 which is coaxial with the longitudinal cavity 13 and has a radial extent greater than that of the longitudinal cavity 13 and which is intended to receive the blocking pin 71 and the spring 74.

The second end 76 of the spring 74 is fixed to the base 17 of the fork member.

The base 17 of the fork member has a radial extent greater than the receiving cavity 18, so that it cannot be inserted therein and is intended to be arranged externally with respect to the collar 62.

The edge 19 of the base 17 of the fork-like member is intended to act as an abutment element between the first leg part 41 and the second leg part 42 in the retracted configuration J of the leg 4.

With the legs in the retracted configuration J, the free edge 65 of the collar 62 abuts the base 17 of the fork member, whereas in the extended configuration of the legs 4, the base 17 of the fork member is spaced from the free edge 65 of the collar 62.

As mentioned, each leg 4 may be positioned: in the closed transport configuration W, which is considered for convenience as a position in which the legs 4 are arranged with an opening angle α' of 0 °; in the two operating configurations K, K1, in which the legs 4 are in the moved-apart position with respect to the cross-piece 2 and are inclined, with respect to the position in the closed transport configuration W, by a first and a second opening angle α, α 1, respectively, having mutually different values.

In each intermediate operating configuration K, K1, leg 4 is blocked in rotation with respect to cross-member 2: rotation towards the closed configuration W, i.e. in the direction of arrow F3, is prevented by the weight of the equipment engaged with the cross-member 1, while rotation away from the closed configuration W is prevented, as described below.

In the first operating configuration K, the leg 4 is blocked in this configuration by the blocking pin 71 in abutment against the abutment face 20A of the first positioning element 20.

In the second operating configuration K1, the leg 4 is blocked by the fork-shaped member 15 in this configuration, since the connecting wall 16B between the arms 16 abuts against the abutment face 21A of the second positioning element 21.

The blocking pin 71 and the connecting wall 16B act as blocking elements for the leg 4 in the first and second operating configurations K, K1, respectively.

The blocking pin 71 and the connecting wall 16B cooperate with the first and second positioning elements 20, 21 provided in the cross-member 2 to block the leg 4 in the first and second operating configurations K, K1, respectively.

Thus, the tripod 1 is prevented from being moved from the preselected operating configuration to be in any operating configuration K, K1 due to the weight of the tripod itself and/or the equipment engaged therewith.

During use, when the user wishes to position the tripod from the closed transport configuration W in the first operating configuration K, the legs 4 are allowed to be gripped and rotated.

During this rotation, the blocking pin 71 is pressed in a sliding manner against the cross member 2 by the spring 74.

The user can rotate the leg 4 until it reaches the first operating configuration K, that is to say until the blocking pin 71 moves into abutment with the first abutment wall 20A of the first abutment element 2 under the action of the depression of the spring 74.

To move the tripod 1 from the first operating configuration K to the closed configuration W, the user provides for the rotation of the legs 4 until this configuration is reached.

However, if the user wishes to position the support 1 in the second operating configuration K1, he/she can grasp the second leg portion 42 in such a way as to move the second leg portion 42 away from the first leg portion 41 and therefore away from the cross-member 2 along the longitudinal axis Y.

As mentioned previously, since the second leg portion 42, the adjustment member 6 and the blocking member 7 are fixedly joined in terms of translational movement along the longitudinal axis Y, by moving the second leg portion 42, the adjustment member 6 and the blocking member 7 are also moved relative to the first leg portion 41.

The user may grasp the second leg portion 42 at any desired location, such as at the tubular member 40 and/or the collar 62 of the adjustment assembly 6, and may press to move the second leg portion 42 away from the first leg portion 41.

Since both the tubular member 40 and the collar 62 have a tubular shape, they can be conveniently and simply gripped by a user to apply the pressing force necessary to move the second leg portion 42 away from the first leg portion 41.

Furthermore, this makes it easier for the user to actuate the tripod.

The tubular member 40 and/or the collar 62 act as an actuating means of the tripod 1, moving the second leg portion 42 away from the first leg portion 41.

The tubular member 40 and/or the collar 62 act as a cylindrical actuating means of the tripod 1, moving the second leg portion 42 away from the first leg portion 41.

During this movement, the collar 62 slides over the first leg portion 41 and the free edge 65 of the collar 62 moves away from the base 17 of the fork member.

During this movement, the blocking pin 71 slides away from the cross-member 2 in the longitudinal cavity 13 of the sleeve 11 of the first leg portion 41.

Furthermore, this causes compression of the spring 74, as this movement causes the opposing first and second ends 75, 76 of the spring 74 itself to move together.

In this way, the blocking pin 71 moves away from the cross member 2 and is released from the first positioning element 20.

After the blocking pin 71 has been released from the first positioning element 20, the user can rotate the leg 4 until it reaches the second operating configuration K1, since this movement is no longer hindered by the interaction between the blocking pin 71 and the first positioning element 20.

When the blocking pin 71 is disengaged from the first positioning element 20, the leg 4 is free to rotate with respect to the cross-member 2 in the two directions of the rotation arrow F1, that is to say, towards the closed transport configuration W and towards the second operating configuration K1.

The user continues to rotate the leg 4 until the connecting wall 16B of the arm 16 reaches abutment against the second abutment surface 21A of the second abutment element 21.

By forming the connecting wall 16B and the second abutment element 21, any additional rotation of the leg 4 that would open beyond the second operating configuration K1 is prevented.

Once the desired operating configuration is reached, the spring 74 urges the second leg portion 42 towards the first leg portion 41, thereby maintaining the positioning of the tripod in the desired operating configuration in a stable manner.

The spring 74 is preloaded to urge the blocking pin 71 towards the cross-piece and thus the adjustment member 6 and the blocking member 7 towards the first leg portion 41.

In order to rotate the leg 4 from the second operating configuration K1 towards the closed transport configuration W, it is only necessary to rotate the leg 4 until it reaches the first operating configuration K or the closed transport configuration W.

The folding of the tripod is therefore particularly simple and straightforward.

In the first operating configuration K, the first abutment wall 20A is arranged almost parallel to the blocking pin 71 and both are arranged almost parallel to the longitudinal axis Y.

Thus, the first abutment wall 20A forms a stop for the blocking pin 71, so that its movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis Y, which causes disengagement from the cross-piece 2, is prevented.

Similarly, in the second operating configuration K1, the second abutment wall 21A is arranged almost parallel to the connecting wall 16B and both are arranged almost parallel to the longitudinal axis Y of the leg 4.

In this way, the legs 4 are prevented from being accidentally moved from the first or second operating configuration K, K1.

The invention thus solves the technical problem posed and allows to provide numerous advantages.

As a result of the invention, a tripod is obtained which can be positioned and closed in a simple and quick manner, since the legs themselves need only be gripped with the user's hands in the most accessible portions of the legs in order to adjust the angle of the legs.

Furthermore, the tripod is obtained by a stable positioning.

The tripod of the present invention provides axial actuation, i.e. along the longitudinal axis Y of the leg, in order to actuate the support leg itself. Thus, a lateral movement with respect to the longitudinal axis Y for actuating the support leg is avoided. This allows to additionally increase the stability and reliability of the tripod.

This allows for more accurate actuation of the legs and thus of the tripod, including where the legs and tripod are of smaller dimensions.

Furthermore, the actuation of the legs is particularly convenient and simple, since the tripod is provided with a cylindrical actuation means for moving the second leg portion away from the first leg portion.

In fact, the user can grip the second leg portion at a desired position and can apply the necessary force.

Furthermore, the legs of the tripod of the present invention do not have levers and/or buttons, the actuation of which would be difficult, especially in the case of small tripod sizes.

Furthermore, the legs of the tripod of the present invention are free of levers and/or buttons and/or actuating members for adjusting the angle of inclination of the legs relative to the cross-piece, and this allows for the production of consequently more compact tripods which are of lower weight relative to tripods having other actuating mechanisms, and which have a reduced likelihood that any straps or accessories of a video camera may become tangled with the tripod.

Furthermore, the risk that any actuation mechanism may be damaged in the event of a tripod drop is reduced.