Supports – Stand and bracket – Having adjustable bracket
Patent
1998-05-11
2000-10-10
Ramirez, Ramon O.
Supports
Stand and bracket
Having adjustable bracket
248550, 359384, F16M 1300
Patent
active
061293199
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
Many designs are known among the stands with adjustable weight compensation having two apparently separated partial weights that are independently adjustable. For example, European Patent Application A-628290 shows such a design. Both weights, though, are necessarily coupled so they can be pivoted only around a common rotating bearing, either around the main rotating bearing or around the main pivot axes which, according to information in the invention, are intended to serve only as bearings for vertical pivoting (as vertical pivot axes) of the stand. Movement of one weight automatically causes movement of the other weight. That was both desirable and intentional at the state of the art, as the attempt was to attain automatic weight compensation over the entire working range of the stand, as long as a weight change on the side of the load was taken into consideration with the compensating weight.
The weight balancing attempted there is based on the theory that optimal weight balancing can only be attained if the point at which the load is applied, the main pivot point, and the center(s) of gravity of (all) the balancing weight(s) all lie on a straight line. This theory is better explained, or more apparent, in the more recent European Patent Application A-656194. In that patent, an attempt is made, with enormous cost in drive technology, to move a single balancing weight directly along that line, in contrast to the disclosure of the former solution. This, however, follows indirectly from the former solution, in that because of the mechanical connection of the partial weights it is always their common center of gravity which was moved along the imaginary line for the compensation or balancing. This theoretical consideration, though, applies in practice only for a certain load weight. Different loads shift the point of load application to the side of this line, causing unbalance.
The Contraves company also marketed a microscope stand with two separate balancing weights. One of them is movable horizontally on a horizontal parallel linking bar which transfers the balancing force. The other is movable vertically on the same kind of structure. Such a stand is also described, for instance, in European Patent Application B-476551. Thus the technology apparently evolved (as this technology is old) in the direction of simplification from two balance weights to just one, but with distinctly more mechanical cost, as mentioned above.
A stand corresponding to the more recent European Patent Application was marketed by the applicant (Mitaka) along with this applicant. With this stand, though, it was found that, contrary to the theory, once the balance was produced it could be maintained only in a limited range of stand position. If the stand, or the load mounted on it, was turned to a different position, imbalance could be noted immediately. This either caused fatigue for the operator, or caused excessive time to be devoted to adjustment while the operator worked with the stand. The change was small only for a very specific load weight.
The objective of this invention is to eliminate that disadvantage. The intent is to find a balancing system that really works optimally. It should maintain balance over a wide working range, so that adjustment is not required during work, or is needed only if the weight of the load itself is changed. An alternative is also suggested for that purpose, with changing geometric dimensions of the stand arm.
To meet the first objective, we go contrary to the current tendency and provide not one, but two separate balancing weights which are, however, newly completely separated from each other functionally. One balancing weight provides the weight balance in the vertical pivoting movement, while the other balancing weight provides the weight balance for the horizontal pivoting movement.
In the sense of the following description, "vertical pivoting movement" always means the pivoting movement of a (vertical) component about the vertical pivot axis (which is itself horizontal) of the stand or pedes
REFERENCES:
patent: 3891301 (1975-06-01), Heller
patent: 5205522 (1993-04-01), Nakamura
patent: 5480114 (1996-01-01), Nakamura
patent: 5651718 (1997-07-01), Nakamura
patent: 5667186 (1997-09-01), Luber et al.
patent: 5713545 (1998-02-01), Nakamura
Leica Microsystems AG
Ramirez Ramon O.
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