Pole and support base assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016123522-A1
Application number	US-201514926028-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure describe a pole and base assembly. The pole and base assembly includes a pole with an upper engagement portion and a lower engagement portion that are biased toward each other. A base includes a socket to receive the pole and a channel that allows the lower engagement portion to pass through the base. The upper engagement portion is retained on the top surface of the base. When the lower engagement portion is passed through the socket and aligned with a locking portion, the biasing force causes the upper and lower engagement portions to clamp together around the base and lock the pole to the base.

First claim

1 . A pole and base assembly comprising:
a pole with a diameter, wherein said pole includes an upper engagement portion protruding beyond said pole diameter and slidable along said pole, and said pole includes a lower engagement portion protruding beyond said pole diameter at a fixed height on said pole, wherein said upper engagement portion is biased toward said lower engagement portion; a base with a top surface wherein said base includes a socket to receive said diameter of said pole, a channel to allow said lower engagement portion of said pole to pass through said base when said pole is placed through said socket, and a locking portion; wherein said base engages said upper engagement portion and prevents said upper engagement portion from passing through said base when said pole is placed through said socket; wherein sliding movement of said upper engagement portion by urging said pole through said socket against said biasing force allows said pole to pass through said socket a sufficient distance to reach a point of clearance between said lower engagement portion and said socket; and, wherein said locking portion is adapted to receive said lower engagement portion, enabling said upper and lower engagement portions to clamp said base between them when the force against the biasing force is released, locking said pole to said base.

2 . The pole and base assembly of claim 1 , wherein said upper engagement portion comprises a pin and opposing ends of said pin protrude from said pole diameter.

3 . The pole and base assembly of claim 1 , wherein said lower engagement portion comprises a pin and opposing ends of said pin protrude from said pole diameter.

4 . The pole and base assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pole includes vertical slots and said upper engagement portion is arranged through said vertical slots so that said upper engagement portion may slide within said vertical slots.

5 . The pole and base assembly of claim 4 , wherein said pole includes holes and said lower engagement portion is arranged through said holes so that said lower engagement portion is restricted from sliding vertically in said holes.

6 . The pole and base assembly of claim 4 , wherein said upper engagement portion comprises:
a bushing positioned around said pole, wherein said bushing includes bushing holes; and, wherein said bushing holes are positioned on said bushing to align with said vertical slots, and wherein said bushing is engaged with a pin extending through said bushing holes and said slots.

7 . The pole and base assembly of claim 6 , wherein said bushing includes a top portion with a diameter, and wherein the diameter of said top portion is larger than the diameter of said socket.

8 . The pole and base assembly of claim 1 , wherein said locking portion comprises a notch defined in a bottom surface of said base along the perimeter of said socket.

9 . The pole and base assembly of claim 8 , wherein said locking portion is positioned on said bottom surface of said base and offset with respect to said channel so that said pole is rotated after said lower engagement portion clears said bottom surface for said lower engagement portion to be received in said locking portion.

10 . A pole and base assembly comprising:
a pole defining a first set of openings and a second set of openings; an upper engagement portion and a lower engagement portion; a spring including two ends; a base with a top surface and a bottom surface and including a socket with a perimeter, wherein said base defines a set of channels positioned along said perimeter of said socket, and wherein said socket defines a set of notches on said bottom surface along said perimeter of said socket, wherein said notches are offset from said channels; wherein said upper engagement portion extends across said pole through said first set of openings and said lower engagement portion extends across said pole through said second set of openings, and wherein one end of said spring is attached to said upper engagement portion and one end of said spring is attached to said lower engagement portion to bias said upper engagement portion toward said lower engagement portion; wherein said pole is adapted to be slidable within said socket when said lower engagement portion is aligned with said channels so that said lower engagement portion may be slid a sufficient distance through said socket to provide clearance from said bottom surface while said upper engagement portion is prevented from passing through said socket by said top surface of said base; and wherein when said lower engagement portion is aligned with said notches, said spring biases said lower engagement portion into said notches toward said upper engagement portion so that said engagement portions clamp the base between them to lock said pole to said base.

11 . The pole and base assembly of claim 10 , wherein said channels extend through said base, from said top surface to said bottom surface.

12 . The pole and base assembly of claim 10 , wherein said notches only extend through a portion of the height of said base.

13 . The pole and base assembly of claim 10 , wherein said first set of openings is a set of vertical slots and said upper engagement portion may move vertically within limits defined by said vertical slots.

14 . The pole and base assembly of claim 10 , wherein said second set of openings is a set of holes and said lower engagement portion is restricted from moving vertically relative to said pole.

15 . The pole and base assembly of claim 10 , wherein said upper engagement portion comprises a bushing positioned around said pole.

16 . A method of attaching a pole to a base comprising the acts of:
inserting a pole into a socket in a base having a top surface, wherein said pole includes an upper engagement portion protruding from said pole diameter and a lower engagement portion protruding from said pole diameter, and wherein said upper engagement portion is biased toward said lower engagement portion by a biasing force; advancing said pole through said socket so said lower engagement portion travels through channels defined in said base until said upper engagement portion is retained on said base; applying force on said pole against said biasing force causing said pole to further travel through said socket until said lower engagement portion reaches a point of clearance from said socket; rotating said pole so said lower engagement portion is not aligned with said channels; releasing the force on said pole so that the biasing force causes said lower engagement portion and said upper engagement portion to clamp said base between them to lock said pole to said base.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said upper engagement portion comprises a pin that extends through a set of vertical slots in said pole.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said lower engagement portion comprises a pin that extends through a set of holes in said pole.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said biasing force is provided by a spring connected between said upper engagement portion and said lower engagement portion.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said lower engagement portion engages notches defined in a bottom surface of said base when the applied force is released.

Assignees

• Indian Ind Inc

Inventors

• Hahn Ryan
• Eaton James

Classifications

• E04H12/2269

  in a socket · CPC title

• A63B2102/18

  Baseball, rounders or similar games · CPC title

• E04H12/2246

  filled with water, sand or the like · CPC title

• E04H12/2253

  Mounting poles or posts to the holder (E04H12/2284 takes precedence; break-away mountings E01F9/631) · CPC title

• F16M11/16

  Details concerning attachment of head-supporting legs, with or without actuation of locking members thereof · CPC title