Supports – Staff type – Angularly adjustable
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-06
2003-03-18
Chan, Korie (Department: 3632)
Supports
Staff type
Angularly adjustable
C248S291100, C248S538000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06533237
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of apparatus and methods for holding elongated members. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus connectable to a supporting structure for releasably holding elongated members at any among a variety of positions, and related methods.
Various activities involve the use of some sort of an item that is elongated, or has an elongated portion, which is desired to be held in position ranging from upright to horizontal and which may be associated, or used, with a supporting structure of some sort. It is often desirable or may be beneficial not to have to manually hold such elongated members and to be able to change the position of the elongated members.
An example of an elongated member is a fishing rod, or pole. It may be desirable, for example, to have one or more fishing rods held in position during at least part of the time while fishing without having to manually hold the rod(s). Other examples of elongated members, without limitation, include antennas, construction related equipment and support poles, such as the poles used to hold an overhead canopy erected over a truck bed, open area(s) of a boat or other areas. In all such cases, it may be desirable to have the respective elongated member held in position without having to manually hold the item, and also to be able to change the position of the elongated member.
Another type of elongated member is an umbrella. Umbrellas, for example, are often used by golfers while playing golf, such as to provide shade from sunshine and overhead cover from rain. It may thus be desirable for golfers to use an umbrella, but without having to hand-carry it. Further, it may, at times, be desirable or necessary to adjust or vary the position of the umbrella to ensure it provides the desired cover.
Various umbrella holders have been previously suggested. In
1883
, an umbrella support was suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 278,973 to Kizer. Upon review today, the disclosed apparatus has many limitations and disadvantages. For example, the umbrella support is limited to attachment to the seat of a vehicle or agricultural equipment with the use of a U-shaped clamp. In the 1960's, inventor C.R. Davis was issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,304,035 and 3,304,036 for golf cart umbrella attachments. Upon review, each of these patents also appears to have numerous limitations and disadvantages. For example, both devices are complex in construction and require many interconnected parts. For another example, both are limited to connection around a tube-shaped member.
Other golf cart umbrella support devices were proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,602,466 and 4,720,074, both such disclosures also having numerous limitations and disadvantages. For example, each disclosure is limited to being attached to the open end of a tubular part of a golf bag pull-cart. For another example, the '074 patent is limited to use with only umbrellas having a bulb-type handle. More recently, John Bomar of Troup, Texas disclosed a shading apparatus for attachment to a riding lawnmower in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,915 issued on Mar. 14, 1995. This disclosure also has many limitations and disadvantages. For example, the disclosed device must be attached to a vertical surface of a riding lawnmower, such as the seat. For another example, the Bomar device requires a unique umbrella having a shaft that fits or matches a U-shaped clamp.
With respect to each of the above-cited patents, it is important to understand that there are numerous other disadvantages and limitations in addition to the particular disadvantages mentioned above. The additional disadvantages and limitations can be readily understood from a thorough review of each respective patent. The above-cited disadvantages are thus merely examples, and should in no way limit or affect the scope of any of the appended claims because of their mention herein. Further, none of the appended claims necessarily excludes any of the aforementioned exemplary disadvantages. (Any comparison of any of the above-cited patents with the invention of any of the appended claims should include all of the numerous disadvantages and features of the prior patent considered together, or in combination, and compared to the entirety of the selected claim(s).)
Thus, there remains a need for apparatus and methods having one or more of the following capabilities: being effective and efficient at holding elongated members at a variety of different positions or angular orientations; the apparatus being simple, durable, having minimal parts, being cost effective to manufacture, easy to use or any combination thereof; the apparatus being useful in different applications, to hold different types of elongated member to be connected to different types of supporting structures or any combination thereof; and the apparatus being minimally bulky when attached to a supporting structure and/or easy to store during non-use.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus connectable to a supporting structure and capable of holding an elongated member at any among a plurality of differing angular orientations relative to the supporting structure. The apparatus includes a base associated with the supporting structure and a body having first and second portions. The first portion of the body has first and second ends, the first end being engageable with the base and pivotably movable between a plurality of angular positions relative to the base. The second portion of the body includes a carrier capable of releasably engaging the first end of the elongated member. A first releasable connector is associated with the carrier, engageable with the elongated member and capable of securing the elongated member to the carrier, preventing removal of the elongated member from the apparatus. The first and second portions of the body are releasably connectable to one another .in any among a plurality of different relative axial positions, whereby the distance between the carrier and base is adjustable.
A second releasable connector engageable between the base and the first portion of the body may be included, the second releasable connector including a pin engageable with any among a plurality of holes disposed in the base. In such case, the first portion is movable among the plurality of angular positions of the first portion relative to the base by moving the pin among the plurality of holes disposed in the base. The first portion of the body may be pivotably movable between at least four different positions relative to the base, whereby the body may be disposed in at least four different angular positions relative to the supporting structure. When the first portion of the body is disposed in at least one position, the body may be disposed substantially adjacent to the supporting structure.
A third releasable connector may be included that is engageable between the first and second portions of the body, which may be telescopically engageable, the first and second portions being disconnectable by removing the third releasable connector. A fourth releasable connector engageable between the base and the supporting structure and including at least one bolt extending through the base and an outer surface of the supporting structure may be included.
The elongated member may include an end portion disposed at its first end and a shaft extending from the end portion. The carrier may include a cavity having a width and an upper opening and be capable of enclosing the end portion of the elongated member and a section of the shaft adjacent to the end portion. Further, the first releasable connector may be disposable across the width of the cavity and engageable with the shaft of the elongated member. The end portion of the elongated member is disposed in the cavity and moved in the direction of the upper opening-of the cavity, the first releasable connector prevents movement of the end portion out of the cavity, preventing the elon
Smith E. Randall
Third Arm Solutions, Inc.
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