Patent Application
20160143799
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improvements in a locating pin. More particularly, the present Safety Key That Identifies Improper Insertion notifies that the pin is not properly inserted to prevent injury when the pin is not completely and properly inserted.
Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98:
There are several different pieces of equipment that utilize a pole with one or multiple holes and use a pin that fits through one or more holes to retain a position of the pin in the pole. Equipment that uses this type of design is height lifting equipment, seat positioning and inversion equipment. Proper insertion of the pin is often difficult for inexperience people. Even for experienced users with poor vision, proper insertion that makes sure the pin completely and safely inserted is difficult to determine. The most common pin is an elongated shank with an enlarged end that is gripped by the user. Where the pin is not visible on both sides of the hole, proper insertion is difficult to determine. A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,362 issued on Sep. 17, 1996 to Allen M. Whipps discloses an Automatic Weight Stack pin Selector. The pin is a self-releasing pin for a weight training machine of the type having a vertical stack of weights. The self-releasing pin automatically releases a selected number of weights from engagement with a lifting bar when the selected number of weights is returned to a resting position. The pin does not have a visual indicator that the pin has been properly inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,669 issued on Sep. 7, 2004 to Walter Tsui et al., discloses a Positive Lock Quick Release Pin. The positive lock quick release pin is for locking a plurality of objects together includes an internal shaft connected to an external shaft with a handle portion. The internal pin slides within the outer shaft that elevates to show that the pin is engages. While this provides a visual indicated, a person looking directly at the pin can't determine that the pin has been properly inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,243 issued on Mar. 22, 2005 to Roger C. Teeter discloses a Cotter Having Indicator [A] Device used in an inversion bench. The cotter is used for locking or latching tubes or extensions together, and includes a shank having a lower end, a handle attached to top of the shank, a ferrule slidably attached onto the shank and arranged between the handle and the lower end of the shank and having a portion applied with an indicating layer. The indicator is visible from the side, but from the perspective of a user, correct insertion of the cotter is not visible.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,454,260 issued on Jun. 4, 2013 to Ken Wilcoxson discloses a Weight Selecting Pop-pin. The pop-pin has a spring loaded into an unstable equilibrium position can be inserted into a weight stack to select a weight and vertical guide bar. While this pin uses a spring, the pin does not provide an indicator that the pin has been properly installed.
What is needed is a single-sided insertion pin that provides a visual indicator from all sides of the insertion pin that the pin has been properly inserted. The safety key that identifies improper insertion described in this document provides the solution.
It is an object of the safety key that identifies improper insertion for use with an inversion bench or other product that requires confirmation that a pin has been properly inserted into one or a plurality of concentric holes. The use of inversion benches allows a person to relieve pressure on a back and help align the spine. For many of the inversion benches, a user must temporarily lock their ankles into the bench prior to inversion. If the ankles are not properly locked into the bench, the user can slide or fall out of the bench and cause injury. Many users use the inversion bench without glasses or are older and have poor eyesight. The safety key must provide a clear visual indication that the key has been properly inserted regardless of the viewing angle of the user, or care giver before inversion of the bench begins.
It is another object of the safety key that identifies improper insertion to include a spring loaded pin and inner shaft that engages into locating hole in the inversions bench. When the pin is inserted into the bench, the pin must pass through several holes. The final hole enters the structural frame and secures the ankle clamp to the bench. While the pin may appear to be inserted into the bench, it is simple for a new, unskilled or unfamiliar user or care giver to insert the pin without knowing if the pin has been correctly inserted completely through all of the openings to ensure that the pin is extended into the structural member. The pin slides in and through central shaft.
It is still another object of the safety key that identifies improper insertion for the key to have wings that extend from the key. There are two wings that fold, extend or tip from the body of key. Because the wings extend outwardly from the key they are visible from all sides of the key. In addition to the visual appearance, a user who is completely blind can also feel the sides to the key to determine if the key has been properly inserted into the inversion bench.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.
When the person is properly secured in the inversion bench 10, the inversion bench pivots through axle 18 to allow the feet of a person to be elevated over the head of the user. The inversion bench has an elongated telescoping tube 17 that allows the person to adjust their center-of-gravity relative to the pivoting axis 18 of the inversion bench. If the key was not properly inserted into the safety key 20, the wings of the safety key 20 will extend out the sides of the key where the wings are visible from any top or side viewing angle as shown in
From this view the safety key 20 is shown improperly inserted. A user can easily determine that the key is improperly inserted because the wings 30 and 31 are shown extended from the body 21 of the safety key 20. To insert the safety key 20, a user or care giver pulls out the handle 45 and pushes the end of the safety key 20 into the ankle retainer of the inversion table. When the safety key 20 is properly inserted the wings 30 and 31 are retracted into the safety key 20 whereby a user can easily see that the safety key 20 is properly installed before the user begins inversion of the bench.
While these figures show and describe the safety key 20 being used with an inversion bench, it should be understood that the safety key 20 can be used in all other pieces of equipment that identifies when alignment of two or more holes is achieved. Other pieces of equipment include, but are not limited to strength machines, exercise equipment and benches with multiple angle adjustments.
When the safety key 20 is properly inserted into the inversion bench the tip 40 is extended through the locating holes in the ankle retainer in the inversion bench. If the tip 40 of the safety key 20 does not extend into a hole in the inversions bench the tip 40 is pushed into the body 23 and 21 of the safety key 20. When the tip 40 is pushed into the body of the safety key 20 internal features of the safety key 20 extend the wings 30 and 31 from the cylindrical body sides of the safety key 20 as shown in
The user can also pull on handle 45 to pull shaft 46 out of the body of the safety key 20. Pulling the handle 45 will also extend the wings 30 and 31 from the body of the safety key 20. If the handle 45 is released the compression spring 50 will return the wings 30 and 31 to the normal retracted position as shown in
The cylindrical body 21 has a central pin that slides within the cylindrical body 21. The central pin 40 is biased with a compression spring 50 in the cylindrical body. The shoulder 41 on the central pin 40 provides a surface for the compression spring 50 to push against on one side and the inside of the cylindrical body 23 has a shoulder to push against the opposing side of the compression spring 50. The central pin further has at least one guide pin 63 and 64 for guiding the deployable wings 30 and 31.
At least one wing 30 and or 31 is pivotally secured to the cylindrical body through pivoting axis 60 and 61 respectively. Each wing 30 and 31 has at least one arm 32 and 33 respectively that slidably are connected to the at least one guide pin 64 and 63 respectively whereby the guide pin(s) 64 and 63 moves the wing 30 and 31 into alignment with the cylindrical body 21 and the wing 30 and 31 extend from the body 21 based upon a position of the central pin. A conical bushing 52 also pushes against the arms 32 and 33 to rotate the wings 30 and 32 from the body 21 of the safety key 20. A handle 45 is connected to a shaft 46 through the body of the safety key 10 to compress spring 50 and extend the wings 30 and 31.
Thus, specific embodiments of a safety key that identifies improper insertion have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
