This invention relates to a base for a ski pole or slalom pole having brush bristles laterally extending from an acircular or non-circular, preferably hexagonal, injection molded base. More particularly, this invention relates to such a base having an acircular cross section with a plurality of brush bristles axially extending along an adjoining circular portion of the base adjacent to the acircular cross section, and radially extending from the base. Still more particularly, this invention relates to such an acircular base having a polygonal cross section having at least three faces and preferably hexagonal cross section transitioning to a circular cross sectional portion of the base having a circular cross section with the brush bristles extending therefrom.
Ski poles or slalom poles are known having a handled or tethered shaft terminating in a base for securing the pole in snow while a skier is skiing or maneuvering on a snow-covered course. U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,393 is one example of such a pole made from an injection-molded, lightweight plastic material having a solid generally cylindrical configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,109 is another example of a pole with a quick-releasing interchangeable lateral support extension in which the pole has an injection-molded base.
Such exemplary poles, when equipped with a base having a circular cross section are susceptible to difficulties in establishing a gripping relationship between the base and the snow. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,192,058, one embodiment uses an injection-molded illuminated disc that functions to provide snow resistance when a skier thrusts the pole into the snow. Other features for the base are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,165 shows a collapsible, transportable attachment for use with ski poles and other equipment to better support and disperse a user's weight in deep snow or to better maintain stability of equipment in deep snow. The '165 patent also shows a base with a foot member attachment having an hexagonal shape for the attachment terminating in a circular shaft.
A ski pole having a plurality of axially extending brush bristles radially extending from a circular shaft of a base for a ski pole is known from a sample of which the inventor of this application is aware. In that sample, the plurality of brush bristles were four or more in number extending for several inches along a circular shaft in which the brushes were injection-molded integrally with the base, apparently providing an improved gripping surface for keeping slalom poles in the snow. However, it was desired to improve the gripping capability for the base when secured to a circular base member because inadvertent base rotation continued to interfere with a tendency of such a base to rotate out of a gripping opening made by insertion of the brush bristles
Other examples of ski poles include U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,891, U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,900, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,250.
Technology is also available for integrally molding brush bristles into a molded plastic holder, such as brushes shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,067, or commercially available hair brushes. However, it would be beneficial to provide a slalom pole with enhanced gripping characteristics over those provided by integrally molded brushes on circular base members of slalom poles. The present invention provides these benefits and this advantage.
It is an object of the invention to provide a base for a ski pole or slalom pole that is structured to enhance securing a pole base in snow, even if finely powdered. Bristles are expected to be shown as effective in maintaining the base secure in snow.
It is another object of the invention to provide a ski pole or slalom pole base with an acircular base to prevent the base from rotating in the snow and inhibiting a tendency to rotate out of the opening made by the pole base in snow.
It is another object of the invention to provide the acircular base with a polygonal cross section with at least three faces and preferably six faces to form a hexagonal cross section.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an injection-molded plastic base for a slalom or ski pole having strength and temperature characteristics consistent with a potential user on a ski slope or other snow-covered surface.
Accordingly, this invention relates to a slalom pole or ski pole, of a type which comprises an injection-molded, axially extending, base having a surface defined by an acircular cross-section; and brush-shaped bristles extending from an adjoining circular surface to the acircular, cross-sectional base for securing the base in snow. A concrete example of such a pole is made from a plastic material integrally molding said bristles in the plastic material, physically resembling a hair brush in concept.
The pole preferably includes a feature that the acircular cross section of the base is polygonal having at least three faces, and more preferably six faces for inhibiting rotation of the base while implanted in snow, thus causing a loss in stability for the user.
The base preferably includes a feature wherein the rows of brush-shaped bristles, preferably three in number, are located along an axial length of a brush surface transitioned from the acircular surface and extend radially from that axial length. Preferably, the plurality of brush bristles are perimetrically located about the brush surface at about equal spaces along the perimeter of the brush surface. Usually, three or more brushes are contemplated, but a greater or lesser number could also be used.
In use, the base is secured to a shaft optionally having a tethered distal end to be secured by a hand of a user. The shaft may also include a portion that is made up from a plurality of alternating wafer-like sections giving flexibility and breakaway strength to the pole.
The anterior end of the base terminates in a generally onion-shaped member having a circular cross section along varying diameters, terminating in a point. Preferably, the angle of a diminishing portion of the tip at the extreme anterior end is 45 degrees.
The base of the invention further includes a collar member at about a joinder position between a shaft and said base. In one embodiment, the collar member is cylindrical. In another embodiment, as shown, the collar member has a leaf shape like a three or four-leaf clover with a thickness for placement at a joinder between the shaft and the base. The collar member may be integral with or a separate attachment from the base member. The collar member delineates snow depth and provides an insertion step.
Another use of the base is for a pole anchor. As the pole anchor, the base includes an elongated shaft and a plurality of tufts of bristles. The elongated shaft extends along and centrally about a vertically-extending longitudinal axis. The shaft has a pole-receiving section, a pointed section and a bristle-attachment section. The bristle-attachment section is disposed between and connected to the pole-receiving section and the pointed section. The pole-receiving section has a pole-receiving hole extending longitudinally therethough and six flat pole-receiving side walls. The six flat pole-receiving side walls are connected to each other to form a hexagonal configuration. Also, the six flat pole-receiving side walls have respective outer surfaces that are textured, i.e. roughened. Further, the bristle-attachment section has the six flat bristle-attachment side walls connected to each other to form a hexagonal configuration. Also, the bristle-attachment side walls have a plurality of bristle-receiving holes that are formed into each one of the six flat bristle-attachment side walls. The pointed section has an inwardly-tapering frusto-conical distal end portion that extends away from the bristle-attachment section.
These objects and other advantages of the present invention will be better appreciated in view of the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
These drawings of the main features of the slalom or ski pole base according to the invention are exemplary and admit to variations in these essential features of the invention according to circumstances of use.
The present invention, may, however, be embodied in various different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein; rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.
The acircular member 20 is shown in this embodiment in its preferred hexagonal shape, thus having six faces about its perimeter. However, the acircular member might also be of a polygonal shape having at least three faces about its perimeter. The acircular member 20 transitions at a location 28 to a circular shaft member 22 having an axial length. A plurality of brush bristles 24 are provided about the periphery of the circular member and are secured by injection molding the brush bristles onto the shaft. Preferably, the base member 10, including the acircular member 20 and the circular shaft 22, are made from a suitable plastic material having a strength characteristic suitable for its intended use by a user on a ski slope or other snow-covered surface.
The circular shaft 22 transitions to a sloped tip member 32 having a generally onion-shaped configuration, best seen in
The plurality of rows of brush bristles are axially located along a suitable axial distance of the circular member and, for example, are three in number usually equally spaced about the perimeter of the shaft 22. The number of rows of bristles may vary. The brush bristles extend radially outward from the circular shaft to protrude a slight distance from an outer flat of the member 20 to aid in improving a gripping capability of the base member 10. This structure has an advantage in that the gripping capability of the brushes secured to the circular member 22 tend to rotate out of a gripping opening my by insertion of the brush bristles when the member 20 is also cylindrical having a circular cross section. That tendency is overcome, at least to a surprising degree, by providing the acircular member 20 having a plurality of faces.
A concrete example of dimensions for the base member are expected to be about 12.50 inches from the collar 18 to the tip 34. The collar is expected to be about 2.50 inches in diameter while the bore 30, best seen in
The depiction in
Another use of the base 10 is introduced in
As best shown in
With reference to
As best shown in
A skilled artisan would appreciate that the bristle-receiving holes 128 can form any one or a combination of hole patterns which are illustrated by way of example only and not by way of limitation in
In
In
Again, with reference to
Furthermore, the shaft 112 includes a frusto-conical pole-receiving connection portion 136 that is disposed between and is integrally connected to the pole-receiving section 116 and the bristle-attachment section 120. The frusto-conical pole-receiving connection portion 136 tapers inwardly from the pole-receiving section 116 towards the bristle-attachment section 120 and terminates at the bristle-attachment section 120. The frusto-conical pole-receiving connection portion 136 defines a frusto-conically-shaped pole-receiving connection portion hole 138 interiorly of the shaft 112 as illustrated in
In
These embodiments and their obvious variations meet the objects and features explained in the Summary of the Invention and described in the pending claims.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/071,491, filed May 1, 2008.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61071491 | May 2008 | US |