Flag set

Details Flag set Flag set

2001-03-15

2003-03-11

Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)

Signals and indicators

Flags and flagstaffs

C403S294000, C040S606040, C040S607060

Reexamination Certificate

active

06530338

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a flag set and more particularly relates to a flag set that permits a variety of support arms to be attached to a pole.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several types of flag sets are known. For example, the most common type of flag set comprises a single flag unit attached to a pole. A support rod (support arm) is mounted perpendicular to the pole at the top of the pole. The support rod suspends the top edge of a flag or banner.
Another type of flag set is shown in FIG.
16
and includes two flag units
820
a
,
820
b
that are installed in opposite directions from a pole
810
. A support arm
830
is formed in the shape of a straight rod and is mounted on top of the pole
810
. The top edges of the two flag units
820
a
,
820
b
are suspended by the support arm
830
. The two flag units
820
a
and
820
b
are connected by a plurality of loops
822
that are used to attach the flag unit(s) to the pole. A plurality of loops
826
is used to attach the flag unit to the support rod and are disposed at the top edge of each flag unit
820
a
and
820
b
. The two flag units
820
a
and
820
b
are attached to the pole
810
by the loops
822
, which are used to attach the flag unit(s) to the pole. The two flag units
820
a
and
820
b
are also attached to the support arm
830
by the loops
826
, which are used to attach the flag unit to the support rod.
Attachment part
840
is mounted on top of the pole
810
and as shown in more detail in
FIG. 17. A
penetrating hole
847
is bored through the attachment part
840
in a direction perpendicular to the pole
810
. The cross section of the hole
847
is made to conform to the cross section of the support arm
830
. In other words, the hole
847
has approximately the same area as the cross section of the support arm
830
. A fastening part
850
is screwed onto the top of attachment part
840
. A fastening hook
835
a
is first attached to one end of the support arm
830
and then a detachable fastening hook
835
b
is attached to the other end of the support arm
830
. The loops
826
located at the tip of the flag units
820
a
and
820
b
(in other words, the loop farthest away from the pole) are hooked onto the attached hook
835
a
and the detachable hook
835
b
, as shown in FIG.
16
. The flag units
820
a
and
820
b
are attached to the support arm
830
in this manner.
The support arm
830
is passed through the penetrating hole
847
with the detachable hook
835
b
removed from the support arm
830
, as shown in FIG.
17
. Then, the support arm
830
is fixed to the attachment part
840
and connected to the pole
810
by attaching the fastening part
850
. After the support arm
830
is passed through the penetrating hole
847
, the detachable hook
835
b
is re-attached to the other end of support arm
830
. The support arm
830
is passed through the penetrating hole
847
in the pole
810
with the detachable hook
835
b
removed, because the penetrating hole
847
is made to match the cross section of the support arm
830
. If the hole is too big, it would be difficult to firmly fix the support arm
830
. Moreover, the support arm
830
can not pass through the penetrating hole
847
unless the detachable hook
835
b
is removed.
However, such a flag set presents several problems. First, the shape of support arm
830
is limited to a straight rod, because any other shape would be difficult to pass through hole
847
. Further, one of the two hooks
835
a
or
835
b
must be made detachable from the support arm
830
, as a non-permanently attached hook
835
b
. That is, both hooks can not be permanently fixed to the straight rod. Thus, if the support arm
830
is attached or detached from the pole
810
, the detachable hook
835
b
must be removed from the support arm
830
. Consequently, when the flag set is assembled or disassembled, the detachable hook
835
b
tends can be easily misplaced and lost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, one object of the present invention to teach improved flag sets.
In one aspect of the present teachings, flag sets are taught that provide a greater degree of freedom to design the structure of the support arm and preferably, a variety of support arms may be utilized with the flag set.
In another aspect of the present teachings, the support arm may be installed within the attachment part from above after the fastening part is removed from the pole. Then, as the fastening part is re-attached to the top of the pole, the support arm is fixed to the attachment part, and the support arm is connected to the top of the pole. For example, the support arm may be inserted from the topside of the pole (attachment part). Therefore, the hooks do not get in the way when the support arm is connected to the pole, even when all the hooks are attached ahead of time. The same advantage is realized when the support is disassembled from the pole. Consequently, in such a flag set, it is possible to permanently attach the hooks to the support arm, and the problem of misplacing the hooks can be avoided.
The hooks may be made separately from the support arm and then attached to the support arm. Alternatively, the hooks may be integral with the support arm. While the hooks can be removably attached to the support arm using a fastener or a suitable adhesive agent, the hooks are preferably permanently attached to the support arm.
Additionally, the support arm may be designed to be inserted into the pole (attachment part) from the topside. Therefore, the support arm can be connected to the pole even when it consists of more than three support rods that are arranged radially. Consequently, such a flag set can retain three or more flags on the pole at the same height. Further, the support arm is not required to be straight and, for example, a curved support arm may be utilized with the present flag sets. Thus, the present flag sets permit the use of a variety of support arms.
The attachment part is not required to be integrally formed on the pole. Thus, a separately formed attachment part may be installed on the pole. In addition, the fastening part may be attached to a separate part provided on the pole. Moreover, the attachment part may be inserted diagonally from above.
The present flag units include flags (banners) having a horizontal length greater than the vertical length and also include flags having much greater vertical length than the horizontal length. In addition, the support arm (in other words, the flag unit) may be connected to the pole in such a manner that it can rotate about the pole axis or it may be connected to the pole in a fixed position.
In another aspect of the present teachings, the attachment part may be formed at the top of the pole and may be capable of accepting two or more different types of support arms. Consequently, any desired flag unit (singular or plural) can be selected out of group of flag units. The support arm corresponding to the flag unit may be selected from a plurality of different support arms and inserted into the attachment part. Then, by attaching the fastening part to the top of the pole, the support arm is fixed to the attachment part, and the support arm is connected to the top of the pole. As a result, any desired flag unit selected from the flag unit group can be attached to the pole.
A plurality of flag units may be attached or only a single flag unit may be attached to the pole. Further, the support arm may hold the top edges of a plurality of flag units or only a single flag may be held. Additionally, a plurality of flag units may be selected or only a single flag unit may be selected. For example, a flag unit group may include
6
different flag units. Only one of the
6
flag units may be selected or two or more of the
6
flag units may be selected and attached to the pole. Further, there may be cases where only a single flag unit is used, or two joined flag units comprising two flag units are joined together. Naturally,
6
joined flag units comprising
6
flag

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