US 12,292,080 B2
Ball head with anti-rotation self-aligning interface
Verent Chan, Lehi, UT (US); and Joseph M. Johnson, Sr., Lehi, UT (US)
Assigned to Really Right Stuff LLC, Lehi, UT (US)
Filed by Really Right Stuff, LLC, Lehi, UT (US)
Filed on Jul. 3, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/763,220.
Application 18/763,220 is a continuation of application No. 17/474,882, filed on Sep. 14, 2021, granted, now 12,055,180.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/149,033, filed on Feb. 12, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0352962 A1, Oct. 24, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16C 11/10 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 11/106 (2013.01) 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A head suitable to be supported by a tripod or a monopod comprising:
(a) a rotatable ball contained within a body defining a socket;
(b) a first movable member that selectively increases and decreases the ability of said ball to freely rotate;
(c) said rotatable ball including a shaft extending therefrom and a retainment structure at a terminal portion of said shaft to support a device on said head;
(d) said retainment structure includes at least 16 angularly arranged “V” shaped members, where each of said “V” shaped members extends over a majority of the distance from a central opening defined by said shaft and an exterior peripheral surface defined by said terminal portion of said shaft;
(e) wherein said shaft defines said central opening in said terminal portion thereof and said terminal portion defines a set of threads within said central opening;
(f) wherein each said angularly arranged “V” shaped members includes a portion that is between 88 and 93 degrees with respect to one another;
(g) wherein corresponding pairs of said angularly arranged “V” shaped members includes a portion that define a corresponding valley therebetween that is sloped between 1 and 10 degrees with respect to an axis of said shaft, and wherein corresponding pairs of said angularly arranged “V” shaped members includes an upper surface that is sloped between 1 and 10 degrees with respect to an axis of said shaft;
(h) wherein said retainment structure defines a corresponding valley between corresponding pairs of all of said at least 16 angularly arranged “V” shaped members where said retainment structure is free from including any other structures between a corresponding end of said corresponding valley closest to said central opening of each of said at least 16 angularly arranged “V” shaped members and said central opening.