WO2016051137A1

WO2016051137A1 - A mounting plate for attaching photographic devices to a tripod or monopod

Info

Publication number: WO2016051137A1
Application number: PCT/GB2015/052765
Authority: WO
Inventors: Danny LENIHAN
Original assignee: 3 Legged Thing Limited
Priority date: 2014-09-30
Filing date: 2015-09-24
Publication date: 2016-04-07
Also published as: CN107076348A; GB201417275D0; CN107076348B; GB2526637B; GB2526637A

Abstract

According to the invention, there is provided a mounting plate 1 attachment to a tripod or a monopod, for effecting the mounting of one or more devices to a tripod or monopod. The mounting plate comprises a body to which one or more devices are coupled when the device is attached to the tripod or the monopod, the body having a first connector, and a plurality of second connectors, each of the first and second connectors enabling a respective device to be connected to the mounting plate, thereby enabling multiple devices to be attached to the tripod or monopod by connection to the mounting plate; a planar surface and a mounting plate axis that is normal to the surface, and the plurality of second connectors are positioned with n- fold symmetry around the mounting plate axis, with n being an integer of 2 or more. This enables multiple devices to be attached to the tripod or monopod by connection to the mounting plate whilst also allowing devices connected to the mounting plate to be counter-balanced.

Description

A MOUNTING PLATE FOR ATTACHING PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVICES TO A

TRIPOD OR MONOPOD

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to tripods and monopods, in particular to portions of tripods or monopods including parts of modular tripods and monopods.

Background to the Invention

Tripods and monopods are commonly used for mounting photographic and motion picture cameras or equipment on and may also be used for other purposes.

The various elements of a tripod or monopod, such as the leg(s) and/or central column may each be static in length, or may be collapsible from their extended length when in use. For example, a tripod or monopod, or elements thereof may be telescopic in some manner. This collapsible functionality improves the ability to transport or to store the tripod or monopod as the volume taken up by the tripod or monopod can be reduced. Whether a tripod or monopod is of static length or is able to be reduced in size, the tripod or monopod is usually manufactured from separate parts that are then assembled into the finished product. However, it is known that various elements of a tripod or monopod may be removable by a user. For example, the plate against which items are mounted ("the mounting plate") may be removable from the central column; the feet of the tripod or monopod may be removable to allow them to be replaced or to be substituted with spikes. Such tripods or monopods are essentially modular and various parts may be interchanged to allow for a variation in the capability of a particular module of a tripod or monopod.

A benefit of tripods and monopods is that they can allow a user to hold a camera in a position that would otherwise be difficult or undesirable for a user to achieve or sustain. For example, when conducting macro-photography work, the camera lens frequently has to be very close to the photographic subject. This can often be close to the ground at which point the photographer may not be able to position themself with the camera at a suitable angle to take the picture, or they may not want to lie on the ground due to it being damp, muddy or frozen for example. Instead, the photographer can use a tripod or monopod to position the camera in the desired location. However, this does not remove the problem that the photographer will still need to be able to look through the camera to frame their subject, which, given the position of the camera, the photographer may not be able to do. A solution to this problem is to use another device, for example a separate monitor, to view the image produced by the camera. In order for the photographer to make any adjustments needed, this additional device will itself need to be supported, such as by using another tripod or monopod. This therefore creates a need for multiple tripods or monopods, which will expand the amount of "kit" that needs to be owned, stored, transported and maintained. There is therefore a need to enable a user to more easily use and maintain their equipment and indeed to reduce the amount of equipment required.

Summary of the Invention

At its most general, the present invention provides a mounting plate for a tripod that is able to provide a means of connecting multiple devices to a tripod. Of course, it would also be possible to use the mounting plate according to the present invention with a monopod or another support means used, such as a two-legged support (e.g. a bi-pod). The tripod, monopod or other support means may be used to, for example, stabilise and support cameras, whether a photographic or motion picture camera, or other camera related items, such as lenses, flash modules or monitors by connection to the mounting plate. Indeed, multiple cameras or tripod accessories, for example, a tripod head (e.g. a ball head, pan-tilt head, gimbal head or other form of tripod head) could be supported by connection to the mounting plate.

Thus, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting plate for attachment to the tripod or a monopod, for effecting the mounting of one or more devices to a tripod or monopod, the mounting plate comprising: a body to which one or more devices are coupled when the device is attached (for example by mounting) to the tripod or the monopod, the body having a first connector, and a plurality of second connectors, each of the first and second connectors enabling a respective device to be connected to the mounting plate, thereby enabling multiple devices to be attached to the tripod or monopod by connection to the mounting plate; a planar surface and a mounting plate axis that is normal to the surface, and the plurality of second connectors are positioned with n- fold symmetry around the mounting plate axis, with n being an integer of 2 or more; and spurs that project radially outward from the mounting plate axis giving the mounting plate a shape with n-fold symmetry around the mounting plate axis, with n being an integer of 2 or more.

A "device" may, for example, be a photographic or motion picture camera; an accessory for such cameras; a photographic/cinematic tripod/monopod accessory such as a tripod head; an articulated arm or indeed any photographic apparatus it is desired to support.

Such a mounting plate is therefore able to serve as more than a support for a camera as it enables more than one piece of equipment to be attached to a tripod at one time. This therefore makes a tripod with such a mounting plate more useful to its user since it obviates the need to have a separate tripod to hold each device (i.e. piece of equipment) requiring support. This reduces the amount of equipment that needs to be transported. It leaves the user free to make any adjustments to the devices that are required and/or enables the user to leave the equipment supported whilst the user is not directly interacting with it. In other words, the burden on the user is reduced as the mounting plate enables more equipment to be connected to a single tripod or monopod that would otherwise need to be held by a user or supported using other tripods.

Further, the positioning of the connectors allows the weight of a first device connected to a second connector to be counter-balanced by connecting other devices to other second connectors, which are on the far side of the mounting plate axis from the first device.

When attaching a device to, for example, a tripod, any supported device that has a centre of gravity offset from the central longitudinal axis of the tripod (i.e. the longitudinal axis along the length of the tripod around which the tripod is rotationally symmetric) moves the centre of gravity of the tripod away from the central longitudinal axis (assuming of course that the tripod has an on-axis centre of gravity when no devices are attached). The weight of the additional attached device therefore makes the tripod unsteady as the weight is no longer evenly distributed, and is no longer acting along the central longitudinal axis of the tripod. Therefore, by having connectors positioned according to n-fold symmetry around the mounting plate axis, which is alignable with the central longitudinal axis of the tripod, the unbalancing effect on connecting a device "off-centre" with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the tripod, is able to be accommodated. When a particular device is added, the weight distribution may be adjusted by adding additional weight, such as by connecting a further device or further devices, to "re-centre" the weight distribution on the mounting plate axis.

Accordingly, this arrangement enables multiple devices to be attached to the tripod or monopod by connection to the mounting plate whilst also allowing devices connected to the mounting plate to be counter-balanced.

Of course, the same reasoning applies to monopods. Indeed, as monopods are less stable than tripods, the un-balancing effect will be greater, so the ability to rebalance a monopod will make the monopod easier to support by a user, since the centre of gravity can be re-aligned with the monopod's central longitudinal axis (i.e. the longitudinal axis passing along the length of the monopod through its centre).

The second connectors may be arranged in pairs with the respective second connectors in each pair being separated by 180 degrees about the mounting plate axis. This essentially means that the second connectors can be arranged in two- fold rotational symmetry (as a minimum) around the mounting plate axis. This allows the counter-balancing to be performed in pairs so each device attached to a second connector may be counter-balanced by one further device.

Of course, instead of being arranged in pairs, the second connectors may be arranged in a shape with three-fold symmetry. This still allows for counter-balancing to be conducted by adding weight to the second connectors more than 90 degrees round the mounting plate axis from any second connector that has a device attached to it. The second connectors may be equidistant from the mounting plate axis irrespective of whether or not they are arranged in pairs.

The respective second connectors in each pair may be located equidistant from the mounting plate axis on the assumption that the devices to attach are broadly similar in weight. This allows equal weight to be connected to each second connector and makes it easier for a user to work out how much weight can be used to re-balance the tripod/monopod. It is conceivable however that non-equidistant arrangements could be used; for example two different radial positions could be provided, a first at a small radius for accommodating large weights and a second at a large radius for accommodating smaller weights. The first connector may be located on the surface and is centred on the mounting plate axis. This has the advantage that the second connectors are arranged symmetrically around the first connector so a single central device can be connected to the mounting plate with all further devices being able to be connected around it. This also allows at least one device to be connected to the tripod or monopod that does not un-balance the tripod/monopod.

The mounting plate has a number of spurs that project radially outward from the mounting plate axis giving the mounting plate a shape with m-fold symmetry around the mounting plate axis. Preferably "m" is 3 for use with a tripod since this allows a compact design in which the tripod legs may be folded so as to be positioned between the spurs when the tripod is in a collapsed state. Of course, "m" may be the same integer as "n", as well as a different integer, which allows the n-fold symmetry and the m-fold symmetry to be equal.

The spurs allow an improved ability to grip the mounting plate should it need to be twisted, for example, to remove it from a tripod/monopod or to twist it relative to a device that is connected to the mounting plate. The shape aids in the improved grip as the n-fold shape may make the shape angular, which will therefore provide a number of surfaces for a user to pull or push against to grip the mounting plate.

Each spur may be defined by a principal direction which projects away from the central axis of the mounting plate. If the principal directions of the spurs are orthogonal to the central axis then such principal directions may each lie in a plane parallel to the mounting plate surface. It is preferable that the principal directions of the spurs are inclined at an angle to the plane of the surface. Thus, it is preferred that the plane defining the said surface is not intersected by the spurs. Whilst inclining the principal direction of a spur away from the plane of the surface does not improve the mechanical advantage gained by the spurs projecting outward from the mounting plate axis, the angle enables a user to form a better grip on the mounting plate. This is achieved because a small gap may be formed between at least the distal part of the inclined spur (with respect to the axis) and any surface or component against which the mounting plate abuts in use. This therefore makes it easier to adjust the mounting plate since the spurs are angled away from any device that is mounted against the surface. This improves the ability of a user to grip the mounting plate, as they are able to get their fingers between the spurs and a device mounted against the surface. The materials that are commonly used for the production of mounting plates and tripod heads have a tendency to fuse together when tightly screwed together (for example, they can fuse by cold welding). This makes it difficult for any two parts to be separated. By angling the spurs away from the surface to which the device may be coupled, should the parts become fused together it will be easier for the user to separate them by the inclined geometry of the spurs enabling the user to achieve a better grip (without the device that is mounted against the surface getting in the way).

The spurs may have holes. The holes may of course be bores, but could instead be open or enclosed voids in the form of portions of the spurs in which there is no material. This reduces the weight of the mounting plate, and allows additional items to be attached to the spurs, for example by passing a clip through a through-hole.

Attaching additional items to the spurs is useful as it allows extra equipment to be attached to the tripod/monopod, or even allows the mounting plate (or the tripod/monopod to which it is coupled) to be attached to, for example, a bag so that it may be transported without the need to be held directly.

As mentioned, it is possible for the holes to be blind-holes or through-holes. The weight reduction advantage is produced in either case, and in some circumstances, it may be possible to attach additional items to the spurs even when the holes are blind-holes.

The spurs may project outwardly from the mounting plate axis giving the mounting plate a shape with three-fold symmetry. The spurs preferably have a geometry such that they allow a leg of the tripod or monopod to fit between adjacent pairs of the spurs. This allows the mounting plate to be a simple shape, for example, triangular, whilst also allowing for the spurs of the mounting plate to tessellate with legs of a tripod when the tripod legs are folded up so that a part of each leg lies next to the mounting plate. This means that the spurs do not interfere with the legs allowing the minimum volume to be taken up when the tripod is in a collapsed and folded state. Providing a region between adjacent pairs of the spurs to accommodate a leg helps to avoid the legs becoming scratched or damaged by scraping against or colliding with the mounting plate.

The second connectors may be located on one or more of: the spurs, on the surface, or indeed elsewhere on the mounting plate. Each possible alternative arrangement has a respective advantage. For example, having the second connectors on the spurs rather than the surface allows the surface to be used entirely by a device attached to the first connector. This allows a large device to be connected to the first connector whilst still allowing further devices to be attached to the second connectors. Alternatively, having the second connectors on the surface allows multiple devices to be connected to the mounting plate close together. This will reduce the un-balancing effect that any one device attached to a second connector has on the mounting plate and therefore on the tripod/monopod. Furthermore, this arrangement may be such that all the second connectors have the same orientation and are located in the same plane (i.e. the plane of the surface). If each of the surface and the spurs is provided with the second connectors then the corresponding advantages discussed above are combined.

As mentioned, it would be possible to have the second connectors elsewhere on the mounting plate. For example, the connectors may be connected to a side of the body, which may, for example, allow devices to be connected to the mounting plate at right angles to each other.

One or more of the first and/or second connectors may be a bore(s), with each bore being arranged to accept a securing element. This has the advantage that a device with an in-built connector, for example, a clip or a push-fit element is able to be connected to the mounting plate as well as the mounting plate being able to hold a securing element, such as, for example, a bolt, to which a device may be connected.

Each bore may be threaded. This allows a threaded bolt to be secured to each bore enabling a strong connection with the bolt and any device attached to the bolt.

Each bore may be a through-bore. When the securing element is longer than the bore this allows the length of a projecting part of the securing element to be adjusted and further allows a locking element to be attached to one end of the securing element while the other end is attached to a device.

Of course, it would be possible for each bore to be a blind-bore or for there to be a combination of through-bores and blind-bores. The mounting plate may have a threaded portion adapted to cooperate with a thread on the tripod or monopod. This allows the mounting plate to be attached to a tripod/monopod by a threaded connection. Of course, commonly, the thread will have an axis which is co-axial with the central axis of the tripod or monopod. The threaded connection is simple to use, hardwearing and secure so damage is kept to a minimum whilst minimising the likelihood of the mounting plate getting lost by coming loose. The mounting plate may have six of the second connectors. Having six second connectors allows the second connectors to be arranged in a two-fold and three-fold rotational symmetry arrangement simultaneously.

Additionally, there may be provided a tripod or monopod canopy, including: a central portion with a base; one or more projections for the attachment of legs, connected to the central portion; and an axis passing through the central portion and base, wherein each projection extends radially outward from the central portion relative to the axis and extends beyond the base in an axial direction, the most distal part of each projection from the central portion thereby being axially offset from the base, and each projection is radially offset from the axis, at least a portion of the base through which the axis passes thereby being accessible in an axial direction.

Having a tripod or monopod canopy arranged in this manner allows there to be a gap between a surface against which the projections (e.g. a table) are placed and a base of the central portion. The gap would, for example, then be able to fit a spring clip for supporting ballast, or a loop for attaching a clip to. An item in the gap would then be protected from damage without have a detrimental effect on the height of a tripod or monopod when folded up for storage, or when extended for use.

There may be a bore though the central portion for accommodating a central column, the bore having an opening in the portion of the base through which the axis passes and an opening at an end of the central portion opposite to the base. This allows a central column of a tripod or monopod to be located through the canopy so that it may extend above and below the canopy as desired.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a tripod or monopod including a mounting plate with any or each of the features detailed herein. Additionally or alternatively, the tripod or monopod may include a tripod or monopod canopy with any or each of the features detailed herein. Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art mounting plate; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a mounting plate according to the invention; Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the mounting plate according to the invention; and Fig. 4 shows a side view of the mounting plate; Fig. 5 shows a plan view of a canopy according to an example; Fig. 6 shows a side view of the canopy according to the example; and Fig. 7 shows a further side view of the canopy illustrating the positioning of a loop. Description of Embodiments

A standard tripod suitable for photographic or motion picture uses has three legs that are joined by a canopy in a triangular arrangement so that they may form a pyramidal structure when set up. A standard tripod has a central column that extends from the canopy, although this can be removed in some tripods. Traditionally, the end of the central column is used as a mounting location for a camera, or other piece of equipment, such as a flash unit. As an alternative, a tripod head unit, for example, a ball-head joint may be mounted to the central column with the camera or other equipment then mounted to the tripod head unit. In order to achieve the mounting, the end of the central column is provided with a mounting plate to which the above described apparatus is coupled physically.

Monopods function in a similar manner to tripods and are able to have items mounted to them in the same way as a tripod. A monopod has a single leg, which is usually coaxial with the central column, and indeed usually is the central column. It is also known to provide a tripod with detachable legs. This allows one of the three legs to be removed and for the removed leg to be used as a monopod. Alternatively, two legs may be removed whereby the removal of two of the three legs can convert the tripod into a monopod. Where two of the three legs are removed, the remaining leg is typically not coaxial with the central column. A mounting plate can of course be used with a tripod or monopod and can either be fixed to the tripod or monopod, or can be detachable. Commonly, mounting plates are of a circular design (having full rotational symmetry) to complement the general aesthetic appearance of the tripod or monopod and to fit neatly to the central column. The mounting plate also provides a circumferential surface around which a hand may be placed, either to rotate the mounting plate or to provide support when a device is being coupled to the mounting plate.

As shown in Fig. 1 , a standard mounting plate 1000 has a round surface 1010 that a device is coupled to. The surface may or may not be textured or have surface ornamentation 1015 to aid establishing grip between the mounting plate and the device. The device is coupled to the mounting plate by a threaded bolt 1020 that projects from the centre of the surface. The threaded bolt on a standard mounting plate is normally a 3/8inch (9.525mm) threaded bolt, and can either form a single piece with the mounting plate, or can be a separate (such as removable or adjustable) piece. For reference, there are two standard thread sizes that are used for camera equipment. These are a 3/8inch (9.525mm) thread or a ¼inch (6.350mm) thread, making them universal connections for camera equipment.

When removable from the tripod or monopod, the mounting plate may have a threaded portion that threads directly onto a tripod or monopod. Alternatively, the threaded bolt may be threadable to, or may form a single piece with, an end of the central column, and the mounting plate may be connected to the tripod or monopod by connection to the threaded bolt.

Standard mounting plates only have the single central threaded bolt to which a device may be attached. However, for the mounting plate detailed here, in an embodiment there are two or more further connectors to which further devices may be attached.

An embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, is a mounting plate 1 with a body 10 that is generally cylindrical. The body has a planar surface 20 at the centre of which is a (first) connector 30. This connector is a threaded bore that is able to accept and cooperatively thread to a 3/8inch (9.525mm) threaded bolt. In Fig. 2, the connector 30 is a through-bore. However, it is possible for the connector 30 to be a blind-bore, or alternatively to be a threaded bolt suitable for forming a connection with an apparatus to be mounted to the mounting plate. Naturally, it is also possible for the connector 30 to take other forms, such as, a clip, a push-fit connector or some other form of connector.

The mounting plate of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 has an axis of rotation (not shown) around which the mounting plate is rotationally symmetric. The axis of rotation is normal (perpendicular) to the surface and passes through the centre point of the first connector 30 and the surface 20.

The axis of rotation may also be called the mounting plate axis and is the axis along which the mounting plate is alignable with a central longitudinal axis of a tripod's central column, or the central axis of a monopod, or the central axis of a tripod/monopod canopy. Of course, when a monopod is made up of one leg of a tripod, which is attached to a tripod canopy, the mounting plate axis will be offset from the axis passing along the length of the leg, and indeed may be angled relative to that axis depending on the position of the leg with respect to the tripod canopy and/or central column. When this happens, the mounting plate axis will be aligned with the axis of the central column, or the central axis passing through the canopy, not with the axis running along the leg.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 also has six further (second) connectors 40 arranged at the vertices of a hexagon, the centre point of which is located at the centre point of the first connector 30 (and surface 20, and therefore on the mounting plate axis). As with the first connector, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, each of the second connectors 40 is a threaded bore. Of course, each second connector may, likewise, be a through-bore, blind-bore, threaded bolt or another type of connector such as one of the types listed above. It is possible to have a combination of different types of connector, so it is unnecessary for all the connectors to be only one type of connector.

Having the second connectors 40 located at the vertices of a hexagon gives the arrangement of the second connectors three-fold and two-fold rotational symmetry around the centre point of the hexagon. Further, as the hexagon around which the second connectors are located is centred on the first connector, each second connector is equidistant from the first connector. This causes each second connector to, in essence, be paired with another second connector that is directly across the hexagon from the respective second connector. In other words, these paired second connectors are spaced 180 degrees apart from each other around the centre point of the hexagon. It is of course possible to have more second connectors or fewer second connectors, and it is not necessary for the second connectors to be located at the vertices of a hexagon. In addition, it is not necessary for the second connectors to be equidistant from the first connector, or for the first connector to be at the centre of any shape in which the second connectors are arranged.

Instead of having six second connectors, there could, for example, be two, three, four or eight. Having a number of second connectors other than six will of course change the degree of rotational symmetry. For example, having two second connectors would give two-fold rotational symmetry, but not three-fold rotational symmetry. However, so long as the degree of rotational symmetry is greater than one-fold rotational symmetry, any practical number of second connectors may be used.

The reason that a degree of symmetry of two-fold or greater is used is that through such arrangements, the weight of a device connected to a second connector may be counter-balanced by adding weight (for example, by adding a further device) to one of the other second connectors. This is done by adding weight to one or more second connectors that are separated from the second connector to which the device is connected by more than 90 degrees around the axis of rotational symmetry.

When a single device is connected to a (first) second connector, the combined centre of gravity of the mounting plate and the device is shifted from the centre of the mounting plate towards the second connector to which the device is attached. Connecting additional weight to (an)other second connector(s) in the manner described shifts the centre of gravity away from the first second connector towards the other second connector(s). The additional weight therefore counterbalances, rather than amplifies, the weight of the device by shifting the combined centre of gravity of the mounting plate, device and additional weight back towards the centre of the mounting plate. Of course, where the additional weight is placed and how much additional weight is used will determine how great the counterbalancing effect is.

The most efficient way of balancing out the weight of a device connected to a second connector is to add weight to the second connector with which said second connector is paired in the manner described above. In this arrangement, the two second connectors are arranged along a line that passes through the second connectors and the mounting plate axis, and so any weight added to one of the second connectors of the pair is counteracted by adding weight to the other second connector of the pair whilst having as little lateral effect on the centre of gravity as possible. This is because any shift in the centre of gravity will be generally along the line passing between the pair of second connectors through the mounting plate axis.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the planar surface 20 is circular. At three points equally spaced around the planar surface there is a spur 50 projecting radially out from centre point of the surface. In the arrangement shown, each spur is in line with one of the six vertices of the hexagon on which the second connectors 40 are located. In this embodiment, the spurs give the mounting plate a generally triangular form.

As shown in Fig. 3, the spurs give the mounting plate three-fold rotational symmetry around the centre point of the surface. Of course, the shape of the mounting plate does not need to have a generally triangular form to maintain its three-fold rotational symmetry.

The spurs shown in Fig. 2 have blunt ends, and are joined to each other by curved sides that form an arcuate side to the mounting plate between each pair of adjacent spurs. As will be noted, the curved sides are each formed as a smooth curve in a concave shape. The arcuate sides to the mounting plate are shown in Fig. 3.

To reduce the total material used, the spurs each have holes 55. This reduces the weight of the mounting plate. In a similar manner to the first and second connectors, the holes in the spurs may be through-holes, or may be blind-holes. Due to the holes, the end of each spur in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 (and those shown in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2) is arranged primarily as a rim round the hole. As well as reducing the weight of the mounting plate as a whole, having a hole of this size with the remaining material of the spur only forming a thin rim around the hole enables a clip, such as, a karabiner, to be attached to the spur so that an object may be hung from the spur. Of course, the holes can be other shapes and sizes and the spur can have more material such that there is a thicker rim or so that the spur is predominantly solid rather than predominantly empty. Fig. 2 shows that the spurs each have a principal direction that projects from the edge of the mounting plate surface. As will be noted the principal direction is arranged at a small angle to the surface 20. The principal direction may be thought of as that having maximum symmetry for the spur, or the locus of points providing the centre of mass of the spur as a function of radial position from the central axis. Typically the end of the spur, distal from the mounting plate axis, will be at the greatest distance from the plane of the surface (this distance being parallel to the axis) due to the small angle between the principal direction and that surface. The spurs are (generally) elongate protrusions from the central section of the mounting plate (even though the width of a spur may be comparable to the length of the spur).

In the side view of the mounting plate shown in Fig. 4, it can be seen that the spurs 50 are angled away from the plane of the surface (that is they point slightly downward). As is also shown in Fig. 4, the spurs extend away from the central section of the mounting plate (i.e. the central cylindrical portion). The angle at which the spurs are inclined away from the plane of the surface angles the spurs onto the same side of the plane of the surface as the central section. It is possible for the spurs to be inclined at a different angle so that the spurs are inclined onto the opposing side of the plane of the surface from that of the central section. In Fig. 4, angling towards the opposing side would cause the spurs to be angled upwardly. However, having the spurs inclined into the same side of the plane of the surface as the central section distances the spurs from any device mounted to the surface. This therefore makes it easier for a user to grip the spurs when rotating the mounting plate relative to the device or vice versa.

When a device, such as a tripod head, is connected to the mounting plate, if it is made of a similar material to the mounting plate, the device and the mounting plate can become fused together. As tripod parts, including mounting plates and tripod heads, are commonly made of Aluminium 6061 , this can lead to the two parts fusing together due to cold welding. As the mounting plate may be made of Aluminium 6061 , providing a part of the mounting plate, such as the spurs, that allows for easier rotation than in conventional mounting plates is very useful in practice.

The conditions in which the mounting plate is used may also cause the two parts to become difficult to separate. For example, cold or wet conditions may make it difficult for a user to gain a strong enough grip on one or both of the parts. However, the spurs on the mounting plate act as "handles" that protrude from the central part of the mounting plate. These provide a portion of the mounting plate that may be easily gripped and also provide a mechanical advantage when trying to rotate the mounting plate. This is due to the larger moment and the increased amount of torque that can be applied around an axis of rotation because of the greater distance from the point of rotation at which the rotational force is able to be applied.

In addition to the mechanical advantage produced by the spurs, angling the spurs away from the plane of the surface allows the spurs to be gripped without the device interfering with a user's grip. Furthermore, if the surface is smaller than, for example, a base of a conventional tripod head, then the spurs being angled with respect to the plane of the surface, as shown in Fig. 2, will cause there to be a gap under part of the tripod head (or other device). This reduces the likelihood of the device and the mounting plate becoming fused together as there will be a smaller area of contact between the device and the mounting plate. The gap also allows a user to get their fingers between the device and the mounting plate.

Since the mounting plate is detachable from a tripod or monopod, when connected to a tripod or monopod the mounting plate is usually connected to the central column. It is possible to fold up a tripod to reduce its size in order to make it easier to store and to transport, although this is not a necessary feature of an embodiment. In such a case, the legs may be fixed in place or could be foldable towards each other thereby reducing the footprint of the tripod as the legs will have a narrower spread. When the tripod is able to be folded to reduce its size, the legs are collapsed and rotated (folded) from their 'in use' position to a position alongside the central column, which projects upwards from the tripod canopy (i.e. the legs are counter-foldable). The mounting plate being detachable also allows it to be used as part of a modular tripod/monopod and used on multiple tripods/monopods.

When folded up, the three legs and the central column of a tripod all point in the same general direction. However, with a conventional mounting plate, the legs can abut the side of the mounting plate. This can cause the legs and/or the mounting plate to become scratched or damaged in some other way due to rubbing, friction and/or collisions between the two parts. In addition, the mounting plate may cause the legs to lie at an angle relative to the central column as the mounting plate may restrict the ability of the legs to fold flat against the central column (i.e. to be positioned parallel to the central column), which is undesirable. The arrangement of the spurs and the arcuate side of the mounting plate overcomes these issues. The arcuate edge provides a recess in the side of the mounting plate, which allows a leg to be positioned in the recess so that it can lie parallel to the central column. The risk of a leg becoming damaged is also reduced, as the mechanism that allows the leg to be folded up does not allow the leg to be angled towards the central column. This is because the mechanism abuts the side of the tripod canopy thereby causing a mechanical impediment against further rotation.

In normal use, the mounting plate is mounted to a tripod or a monopod by threading to a 3/8inch (9.525mm) threaded bolt, which is threaded to the central column of the tripod or monopod. It is of course possible to mount the mounting plate to a tripod or monopod in a different way, such as by mounting it to a canopy of the tripod or monopod as is described below. Further, in an embodiment, a threaded bolt used with the mounting plate may have a different size thread at each end. For example, at one end, the thread may be a 3/8inch (9.525mm) thread, and the other end may have a ¼inch (6.250mm) thread. This allows the threaded bolt to be used with two different sizes of threaded connection.

The mounting plate is connected to the threaded bolt through the first connector, with the threaded bolt protruding out of the surface of the mounting plate. A device may then be connected to the first connector and/or (further) devices may then be connected to one or more of the second connectors.

For each device that is connected to one of the second connectors, because of the arrangement of the second connectors, another device may be connected to the opposite second connector (i.e. the other second connector of the pair) to make the distribution of weight around the mounting plate more even. As detailed above, other devices, such as a camera, tripod head, articulated arm, monitor, flash unit and/or a lighting unit can be connected to the first and/or second connectors.

In use, a device is connected to a threaded bolt connected to the first connector 30, or to a threaded bolt connected to one of the second connectors 40. Of course, should it be desired, a single device could be connected to two or more connectors. This could either be the first connector and a second connector, or two second connectors, or to a combination of second connectors and/or the first connector. It is possible for second connectors to be located on the sides of the mounting plate as well as, or instead of, being located on the surface and/or the spurs. This may allow the mounting plate to have more second connectors and for at least some of the second connectors to be orientated at an angle to the first connector and/or the other second connector(s). This may allow more devices to be attached to the mounting plate, and may provide a more convenient position in which to locate, and attach, a device than on the surface of the mounting plate.

The central section of the mounting plate may have a skirt around the edge of the surface or may extend from one side of the surface. The inner wall of the skirt may be threaded. This allows the mounting plate to be directly connected to a tripod/monopod canopy without needing to connect the mounting plate to a central column.

A tripod/monopod canopy 100, as shown in Fig. 5, has a central portion 1 10 with a cylindrical bore 1 12 passing longitudinally through it. The cylindrical bore 1 12 is able to accept a central column of a tripod/monopod. To enable a connection to be established with the central column of the tripod/monopod, an end of the central portion 1 10 has a threaded portion 1 14 (see Fig. 6) to which a compression fitting (not shown) may be fitted.

Known tripod/monopod canopies have a central cylindrical portion through which the central column of the tripod/monopod fits and radial projections to which legs are attachable. Therefore, the shape of the known tripod/monopod canopy is cylindrical with radial projections protruding from the central portion. Instead, the canopy 100 according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 has a triangular portion at an end of the central portion. At each vertex of the triangular portion, there is a projection 1 16 for the attachment of a leg that extends radially outward from the central portion 1 10. This gives the projections a radial offset from an axis running longitudinally through the central portion (and therefore through the bore).

As shown in Fig. 6, the central portion 1 10 has a base 1 18 at an opposite end of the central portion to the threaded portion 1 14 and around which the triangular portion is located. Each projection 1 16 is angled to extend axially as well as radially from the central portion. As the projections extend outwards from the triangular portion at the base of the central portion, the projections extend below the base of the central portion. In other words, there is an axial offset between the base of the central portion and the part of each projection that is most axially distal to the threaded portion. This means that, for example, if the canopy were to be placed on a planar surface, the canopy would be supported on the projections, and there would exist a gap between the surface and the base of the central portion (this is shown in Fig. 6). The axial offset creates the gap described, and the radial offset of the projections ensures that the base is not obstructed by the projections, and so is accessible along the axis from a position below or away from the base and the canopy as a whole.

It is known for tripods to have a ballast hook or spring clip at the base of the central column allowing weight to be attached to the column. In use, this is located below the base of the canopy so that it effectively projects from the base of the canopy. In known tripods, this makes the hook or clip define a geometrical extremity of the canopy. This is not the case when using the canopy of the present embodiment.

The hook or spring clip is able to be located in the gap produced by the axial offset between the base of the central portion and the most distal part from the threaded potion of each projection 1 16. Thus in the present embodiment it is the projections

1 16 which define the geometrical extremity of the canopy.

Instead of using a ballast hook or spring clip, it is possible to use a loop 120 (see Fig. 7). This can be attached to the end of the central column, for example, by a 3/8inch (9.525mm) threaded bolt or alternatively by a ¼inch (6.350mm) threaded bolt. This allows weights to be clipped to the central column. Because a loop is used, more weight can be hung from the central column than when a ballast hook or spring clip is used as the loop will and can be stronger than the hook or clip. Therefore, using the loop, the stabilisation of a tripod can be improved. Note that in practice the projections 1 16 preferably define the extremity of the canopy even when the loop 120 is fitted, as is shown in Fig. 7.

Having the axial offset between the base and the most axially distal part of each projection from the threaded portion of the central portion of the canopy allows the loop to be protected from damage as it sits in the gap created by the axial offset. The loop is protected as the projections 1 16 form an enclosure or caged area around the base of the central portion. The projections for the attachment of legs may have the conventional teeth to allow legs to be positioned at a number of different positions so that the angle of the leg with respect to the central column of the tripod/monopod is adjustable.

In addition to this, the canopy may have a friction ring 130 (see Fig. 7) that is threadable to the threaded portion of the central portion. The friction ring 130 allows the mounting plate to be connected to the canopy and for the alignment of spurs on the mounting plate with the projections 1 16 on the canopy to be chosen by a user by threading the friction ring and the mounting plate against each other with the desired degree of (mis)alignment. Further, the canopy 100 may have a bubble level 140 on the triangular portion (see Fig. 5). The canopy may also have ¼inch (6.350mm) mounting point 150 on the side of the central potion (see Fig. 6).

Claims

1 . A mounting plate for attachment to a tripod or a monopod, for effecting the mounting of one or more devices to a tripod or monopod, the mounting plate comprising:

a body to which one or more devices are coupled when the device is attached to the tripod or the monopod, the body having a first connector, and a plurality of second connectors, each of the first and second connectors enabling a respective device to be connected to the mounting plate, thereby enabling multiple devices to be attached to the tripod or monopod by connection to the mounting plate; a planar surface and a mounting plate axis that is normal to the surface, and the plurality of second connectors are positioned with n-fold symmetry around the mounting plate axis, with n being an integer of 2 or more.

2. The mounting plate according to claim 1 , wherein the second connectors are arranged in pairs, the respective second connectors in each pair are separated by 180 degrees about the mounting plate axis.

3. The mounting plate according to claim 2, wherein the respective second connectors in each pair are located equidistant from the mounting plate axis.

4. The mounting plate according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first connector is located on the surface and is centred on the mounting plate axis.

5. The mounting plate according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the mounting plate has spurs that project radially outward from the mounting plate axis giving the mounting plate a shape with m-fold symmetry around the mounting plate axis, with m being an integer of 2 or more.

6. The mounting plate according to claim 5, wherein each spur is defined by a principal direction, and each principal direction is inclined at an angle to the plane of the surface.

7. The mounting plate according to claim 6, wherein each principal direction of the spurs projects away from the surface.

8. The mounting plate according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the spurs have holes thereby reducing the weight of the spurs.

9. The mounting plate according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the spurs project outward from the mounting plate axis giving the mounting plate a shape with three-fold symmetry, and are adapted to allow a leg of the tripod or monopod to fit between the spurs of each of at least three pairs of adjacent spurs by the spurs of the respective pairs being spaced apart from each other.

10. The mounting plate according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the second connectors are located on the spurs and/or on the surface.

1 1 . The mounting plate according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more of the first and/or second connectors is/are a bore(s), and each bore is arranged for accepting a securing element.

12. The mounting plate according to claim 1 1 , wherein each bore is threaded.

13. The mounting plate according to claim 1 1 or claim 12, wherein each bore is a through-bore.

14. The mounting plate according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting plate has a threaded portion adapted to cooperate with a thread on the tripod or monopod.

15. The mounting plate according to any one of the previous claims, wherein there are six of the second connectors.

16. A mounting plate substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings Fig. 2 to Fig. 4.

17. A tripod or monopod canopy, including:

a central portion with a base;

one or more projections for the attachment of legs, connected to the central portion; and

an axis passing through the central portion and base, wherein

each projection extends radially outward from the central portion relative to the axis and extends beyond the base in an axial direction, the most distal part of each projection from the central portion thereby being axially offset from the base, and each projection is radially offset from the axis, at least a portion of the base through which the axis passes thereby being accessible in an axial direction.

18. The tripod or monopod canopy according to claim 17, wherein there is a bore through the central portion for a central column, the bore having an opening in the portion of the base through which the axis passes and an opening at an end of the central portion opposite to the base.

19. A tripod or monopod canopy substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings Fig. 5 to Fig. 7.

20. A tripod or monopod including a mounting plate according to any one of claims 1 to 16 and/or a tripod or monopod canopy according to any one of claims 17 to 19.

21 . A tripod or monopod substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings Fig. 2 to Fig. 7.