SUCTION CUP FOR ROUGH SURFACES
A suction cup adapted to couple objects to rough surfaces includes a flexible sealing member, a backing member and a release mechanism. The sealing member is placed flush against a rough surface to form a low pressure region therebetween. The backing member is coupled to the sealing member and pulls a central portion of the sealing member away from the rough surface to create a suction hold. The release mechanism diminishes this suction hold when activated by a user. The sealing member material has a durometer rating of less than about 50, shore A. A rigid outer shell disposed above the sealing and backing members includes a rim to facilitate seal creation between the sealing member and the rough surface, and houses a portion of the release mechanism, which can include a button or lever adapted to push or pull the backing member toward or away from the rough surface.
1 . A suction cup adapted to couple objects to rough surfaces, comprising:
a flexible sealing member having a continuous first surface adapted to be placed flush against an external rough surface such that a zero or low pressure region can be formed between the first surface and the external rough surface, wherein said external rough surface has a surface roughness Ra of about 2 microns or more;
a backing member embedded within or coupled to a second surface of said flexible sealing member opposite said first surface and adapted to pull a central portion of said sealing member away from said external rough surface to create said zero or low pressure region, thereby creating a suction hold against said external rough surface; and
a release mechanism adapted to diminish the suction hold against said external rough surface when said release mechanism is activated by a user.
2 . The suction cup of claim 1 , wherein said first surface is formed from a material having a durometer rating of less than about 50, shore A.
3 . The suction cup of claim 2 , wherein said first surface is formed from a material having a durometer rating of less than about 30, shore A.
4 . The suction cup of claim 3 , wherein said first surface is formed from a material having a durometer rating of less than about 10, shore A.
5 . The suction cup of claim 1 , wherein said first surface is formed from a low durometer rubber.
6 . The suction cup of claim 1 , wherein said external rough surface has a surface roughness Ra of about 5 microns or more.
7 . The suction cup of claim 1 , wherein said external rough surface has a surface roughness Ra of about 10 microns or more.
8 . The suction cup of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rigid outer shell disposed above said flexible sealing member and said backing member, wherein an outer circumference of said outer shell can be used to facilitate a seal between said flexible sealing member and said external rough surface, and wherein said outer shell houses at least a portion of said release mechanism.
9 . The suction cup of claim 8 , wherein said release mechanism comprises a button or lever adapted to push said backing member toward said external rough surface when said button or lever is activated by a user, thereby also pushing the central portion of said flexible sealing member toward said external rough surface.
10 . The suction cup of claim 9 , wherein said button or lever is also adapted to pull said backing member away from said external rough surface when said button or lever is activated by a user, thereby also pulling the central portion of said flexible sealing member away from said external rough surface.
11 . The suction cup of claim 8 , wherein said rigid outer shell comprises a clip mating portion integrated therein, said clip mating portion adapted to be inserted into a receiving portion of an associated clip.
12 . The suction cup of claim 1 , wherein said backing member comprises one or more openings situated therein, whereby portions of said flexible sealing member are sucked into said one or more openings when said zero or low pressure region is created between said flexible sealing member and said external rough surface.
13 . The suction cup of claim 12 , wherein said backing member comprises a plurality of fingers connected at a central hub region and having openings therebetween.
14 . A tripod adapted to support an object thereon, comprising:
a body portion;
a plurality of flexible legs, each of said flexible legs comprising a first end and a second end, said first end coupled to said body portion;
an interconnect portion coupled to said body portion;
a clip receiver coupled to said interconnect portion; and
a clip removably inserted into said clip receiver, said clip comprising a main body and a suction cup coupled to said main body, wherein said suction cup is adapted to support a rough surface of an object thereon.
15 . The tripod of claim 14 , wherein said suction cup comprises:
a flexible sealing member having a continuous first surface adapted to be placed flush against said rough surface such that a zero or low pressure region can be formed between the first surface and the rough surface, wherein said rough surface has a surface roughness Ra of about 2 microns or more;
a backing member coupled to a second surface of said flexible sealing member opposite said first surface and adapted to pull a central portion of said sealing member away from said rough surface to create said zero or low pressure region, thereby creating a suction hold against said rough surface; and
a release mechanism adapted to diminish the suction hold against said rough surface when said release mechanism is activated by a user.
16 . The tripod of claim 14 , wherein said second end of each of said flexible legs comprises a suction cup.
17 . A suction cup adapted to couple objects to rough surfaces, comprising:
a flexible sealing member having a first surface adapted to be placed against an external rough surface such that a zero or low pressure region can be formed between the first surface and the external rough surface;
a backing member embedded within or coupled to a second surface of said flexible sealing member opposite said first surface and adapted to pull a central portion of said sealing member away from said external rough surface to create said zero or low pressure region, thereby creating a suction hold against said external rough surface, wherein the area of said sealing member central portion pulled by said backing member comprises at least 30 percent of the overall area of said flexible sealing member; and
a release mechanism adapted to diminish the suction hold against said external rough surface when said release mechanism is activated by a user.
18 . The suction cup of claim 17 , wherein said first surface is formed from a material having a durometer rating of less than about 50, shore A.
19 . The suction cup of claim 17 , wherein the area of said sealing member central portion pulled by said backing member comprises at least 50 percent of the overall area of said flexible sealing member.
20 . The suction cup of claim 17 , wherein said external rough surface has a surface roughness Ra of about 2 microns or more.