Aspen Tripod Head by Colorado Tripod Company |
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| DESIGN DETAILS | |||||
| DESIGN NAME: Aspen PRIMARY FUNCTION: Tripod Head INSPIRATION: The Aspen design is centered around increasing range of motion to simplify the process of compositional framing for photographers who need to align their cameras quickly. The open frame construction eliminates the need to adjust the tripod legs to level the camera and makes bulky L-brackets unnecessary for switching from landscape to portrait orientations. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Aspen tripod head provides photographers with a large range of motion to simplify photograph composition. An open frame design allows an attached camera to rotate well beyond 90 degrees in both directions for quick adjustments in both landscape or portrait orientations. The ball features a hollow core with holes to reduce weight while maintaining strength and the adjustable lever clamp offers a quick and secure attachment to a wide range of camera plates. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: A camera is mounted on the adjustable lever clamp that is attached to the Aspen hollow ball. When adjustments are needed for compositional framing, the locking knob is released and the camera is rotated into position about the center axis of the ball and then re-locked. The friction control sets drag on the ball when moving freely for a customized experience. A panning lock can be tightened or loosened to create a secure lock or to rotate the ball head 360 degrees for panoramic photographs. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project started in 2018 and finished in early 2020 with all design, prototyping and manufacturing taking place in Denver, Colorado, USA. The product officially launched in July 2020. |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The Aspen is constructed primarily from aluminum 6061 which is hard anodized for increased scratch and corrosion resistance. Stainless steel and bronze are also utilized for interacting threaded parts. All parts are CNC machined with either live-tooling lathes or 5-axis mills and the machining process was fine-tuned over many iterations to optimize tolerances and fit. The custom locking knob is constructed of an injected molded rubber to improve feel and ergonomics. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Width: 134 mm x Depth: 55 mm x Height: 95 mm Weight: 440 g Ball Diameter: 48 mm Load Capacity: 13.6 kg TAGS: tripod head, ball head, camera support, tripod, photography accessory RESEARCH ABSTRACT: A wide variety of competitor references were studied for load capacity, vibration dampening, material selection, weight and mechanical operation. Various test rigs were created to acquire data in addition to disassembly and reconstruction of parts. A weight gauge was created to measure the max load of ball heads at various locations of load relative to the center of the ball. A vibration dampening and rigidity test was created using gyroscope and accelerometer devices attached to the ball heads. Using the data, our design team gained insight into the mechanisms and features that create a high-strength, rigid, low-weight tripod head. Range of motion was also evaluated in all of the tripod heads reviewed to ensure the Aspen exceeded the limits of traditional ball heads. CHALLENGE: In order to maximize range of motion, an open framed design was chosen for the Aspen. However, the construction proved difficult to ensure proper locking force and rigidity. The locking pads have much less surface area than traditional ball heads, so a number of pad shapes and materials were tested to optimize the locking mechanism. The surface finish of the anodized ball also proved to be a factor in the locking force. Additionally, the correct tolerances of the interacting parts was difficult, as a balance between tight fit and smooth movement was needed to achieve the end result. ADDED DATE: 2020-07-15 18:28:25 TEAM MEMBERS (1) : Colorado Tripod Company IMAGE CREDITS: Colorado Tripod Company, 2020. PATENTS/COPYRIGHTS: Patent Pending. Application Number 29725750. David Graham Clark. 2020. USA |
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| Visit the following page to learn more: https://aspenballhead.com | |||||
| CLIENT/STUDIO/BRAND DETAILS | |
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NAME: Colorado Tripod Company PROFILE: Colorado Tripod Company designs and manufactures photography equipment with a focus on user experience. Each product is thoughtfully engineered with direct feedback from professionals to improve ergonomics and simplify operation in a wide variety of use cases. Materials and machining methods are chosen carefully to find a balance between durability, weight savings, and feel. Each piece is designed in Denver, Colorado and tested around the world. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Aspen Tripod Head by Colorado Tripod Company is Winner in Camera and Photography Equipment Design Category, 2020 - 2021.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Colorado Tripod Company. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Colorado Tripod Company. |
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