The present invention relates generally to tools used in the signage industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device used to temporarily anchor a sign post into the ground.
When a sign post is erected, it may be permanently installed, or it may be temporarily installed. Permanently installed sign posts are often used to signify a business location, or road directions, or general information, and typically are fairly difficult to install and remove, requiring excavation equipment and materials to secure the sign post in place, with the goal of having the sign posts remain securely standing in place for long periods of time. Temporary sign posts are often used to signify short term events, such as political elections, retail promotions, ephemeral information, and real estate offerings. By their nature, temporarily installed sign posts need to be easy to install and easy to remove. However, during the period of time they are erected, they also have the goal of remaining securely standing in place.
The current art for temporarily installed sign posts includes wire frame sign posts (usually seen for political signs), single stake sign posts (having a sharpened lower portion for inserting directly into the ground), and larger sign posts with cross pieces. The latter are typically used to signify real estate transactions, such as “For Sale” signs and “Sale Pending” signs. Such sign posts are typically fairly heavy, though they can be manipulated by a single individual. They need to be securely affixed to the ground and remain standing in an upright position, otherwise potential buyers may be turned off by sloppily tilted signs. The typical real estate sign is too large to have its lower portion configured as a sharpened stake, and therefore is anchored to the ground by use of a separate spiked anchoring device. That is, a metal device having a downward extending, sharpened spike is attached to the lower end of the sign post, and then the spike is driven into the ground by force, usually by use of a sledge hammer striking the top of the sign post. This often results in the sign going into the ground at an angle, or perhaps the anchoring device becomes damaged if the spike strikes an unseen buried rock. Even when the sign is properly installed, it takes considerable effort to wield the sledge hammer. Finally, even a properly installed sign post will tend to tilt over time, because the single spike presents only one point of contact with the ground and the weight of the sign post can easily leverage the spike out of position.
It has thus been demonstrated that there is a need for a device for temporarily anchoring a large sign post securely to the ground which is easy to install and which retains the sign post in the desired upright orientation over time.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to present a sign post anchoring device which is easy to install and remove.
It is a further object of the present invention to present a sign post anchoring device which securely holds a sign post in the desired upright orientation over time.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to present a sign post anchoring device which is less likely to be damaged during installation.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to present a sign post anchoring device that can be adapted to differently configured sign posts.
Other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the description that follows.
It is to be understood that the foregoing and following description of the invention is intended to be illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive of the invention as claimed. These and other aspects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after review of the entire specification, accompanying figures, and claims incorporated herein.
The sign post anchoring device of the present invention comprises a receiver and an anchor mechanism. The receiver is adapted to engage with differently configured sign posts, securely retaining the device to the lower portion of the sign post, and an anchor mechanism, adapted to engage with the ground. The anchor mechanism is configured to be easily installed into the ground by use of a power drill. It is also configured to provide multiple points of support to the sign post, thereby minimizing the potential for tilting or otherwise moving out of position. The receiver and anchor mechanism are affixed to each other.
In one embodiment, the anchor mechanism of the device of the present invention comprises a pair of anchor prongs which extend downward from the receiver, parallel to each other. A power drill is used to create a pair of holes in the ground, and the anchor prongs are inserted into the holes. Optional stabilizers may be incorporated to provide further lateral support to the sign post. The receiver may be configured to receive the lower portion of the sign post within its hollow interior (a female-to-male connection configuration), or it may be configured to have a hollow lower portion of the sign post placed onto it (a male-to-female connection configuration). Additional optional securing devices such as screws or pins may be used to secure the lower portion of the sign post to the receiver.
One embodiment of the sign post anchoring device 1 of the present invention comprises a receiver 100 and an anchor mechanism 200. See
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchor mechanism 200 extends downward from the bottom portion 110 of the receiver 100 in a substantially parallel orientation to a longitudinal axis of the receiver 100. In the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchor mechanism 200 is comprised of a first anchor prong 212 and a second anchor prong 214. See
The anchor prongs 212,214 may be constructed of any durable material, but in the preferred embodiments they are constructed of iron or steel. Other materials may also be used, such as aluminum, composites, or hard plastics. In the most preferred embodiments the anchor prongs 212,214 are cylindrical and may be grooved or ribbed along their sides (partially or entirely). Their distal ends may be flat or pointed. Each anchor prong 212,214 may be between six and twenty-four inches in length, with preferred embodiments having anchor prongs 212,214 of between twelve and eighteen inches in length. The cylindrical shape of the anchor prongs 212,214 allows for an improved method of installation. Rather than forcing the anchoring mechanism 200 into the ground 5 by pounding on the top of the device 1, such as with a sledge hammer, a power drill may be used to create a pair of holes in the ground to receive the anchor prongs 212,214. Once inserted, the grooves or ribs on the sides of the anchor prongs 212,214 help retain the device in the ground 5. Other configurations of the anchor prongs 212,214 are also contemplated, such as anchor prongs 212,214 having a square cross-section or an oval cross section, or some other shape, and having smooth sides.
In one embodiment where the anchoring mechanism 200 comprises a pair of anchor prongs 212,214, the first anchor prong 212 is longer than the second anchor prong 214. See
In another embodiment of the present invention the anchoring mechanism 200 of the sign post anchoring device 1 further comprises a stabilizing member 220. See
In one variant of this embodiment, the stabilizing member 220 is planar and elongate and is located between the first anchor prong 212 and the second anchor prong 214. See
The receiver 100 of the device 1 of the present invention may be configured multiple ways. For example, it can be substantially cylindrical with a circular cross-section, or rectangular or square in cross-section, or it can be configured as a male-to-female connection with a sign post 10, or as a female-to-male connection with a sign post 10, and with or without additional securing devices. In each of these configurations, though, the receiver 100 must be elongate and rigid. Each of these variants allows the receiver 100 to be configured for a specific configuration of sign post 10. The receiver 100 may be constructed of any durable material, but in the preferred embodiments it is constructed of iron or steel. Other materials may also be used, such as aluminum, composites, or hard plastics. The receiver 100 may have any suitable height. In the preferred embodiments, the receiver 100 will have a height of between six and twenty-four inches. In the most preferred embodiments, the receiver 100 will have a height of between nine and fifteen inches. In one most preferred embodiment, the receiver 100 will have a height of twelve inches.
In the basic male-to-female connection configuration, the receiver 100 is a post and the sign post 10 has a lower portion 12 having a hollow interior 16. Formed into the bottom of the sign post 10 is a bottom aperture 14, with the bottom aperture 14 providing access into the hollow interior 16 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. The lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is fitted over and onto the receiver 100 such that an upper portion 120 of the receiver 100 is placed through the bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 and into the hollow interior 16 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. See
In one variant of the male-to-female connection configuration, the receiver 100 is a cylindrical post having a circular cross-section. Likewise, the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 has a hollow interior 16 having a circular cross-section. The bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 has an inside diameter 22 just slightly larger than the outside diameter 152 of the receiver 100. This allows the sign post 10 to fit over and onto the receiver 100. See
In another variant of the male-to-female connection configuration, the receiver 100 is a post having a rectangular cross-section. The first outside diameter 154 of the receiver 100 is the straight line distance between a pair of opposite sides of the receiver 100, and the second outside diameter 156 is the straight line distance between the other pair of opposite sides of the receiver 100. The first outside diameter 154 of the receiver 100 is oriented perpendicular to the second outside diameter 156 of the receiver 100. The lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 also has a rectangular cross-section. The first inside diameter 24 of the bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is the straight line distance between a pair of opposite sides of the bottom aperture 14, and the second inside diameter 26 of the bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is the straight line distance between the other pair of opposite sides of the bottom aperture 14. The first inside diameter 24 of the bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is oriented perpendicular to the second inside diameter 26 of the bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. The first outside diameter 154 of the receiver 100 is slightly smaller than the first inside diameter 24 of the bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10, and the second outside diameter 156 of the receiver 100 being slightly smaller than the second inside diameter 24 of the bottom aperture 14 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. This allows the sign post 10 to fit over and onto the receiver 100. See
In the basic female-to-male connection configuration, the receiver 10 has a hollow interior 130. Formed into the top of the receiver 100 is a top aperture 140, with the top aperture 140 providing access into the hollow interior 130 of the receiver 100. The lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is fitted into the receiver 100 such that the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is placed through the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100 and into the hollow interior 130 of the receiver 100. See
In one variant of the female-to-male connection configuration, the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100 has a circular cross-section. Likewise, the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 has a circular cross-section. The top aperture 140 of the receiver 100 has an inside diameter 162 just slightly larger than the outside diameter 32 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. This allows the sign post 10 to fit into the receiver 100. See
In another variant of the female-to-male connection configuration, the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100 has a rectangular cross-section. The first inside diameter 164 of the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100 is the straight line distance between a pair of opposite sides of the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100, and the second inside diameter 166 of the top aperture 104 of the receiver 100 is the straight line distance between the other pair of opposite sides of the top aperture 104 of the receiver 100. The first inside diameter 164 of the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100 is oriented perpendicular to the second inside diameter 166 of the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100. The lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 also has a rectangular cross-section. The first outside diameter 34 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is the straight line distance between a pair of opposite sides of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10, and the second outside diameter 36 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is the straight line distance between the other pair of opposite sides of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. The first outside diameter 34 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is oriented perpendicular to the second outside diameter 36 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. The first outside diameter 34 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is slightly smaller than the first inside diameter 164 of the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100, and the second outside diameter 36 of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 is slightly smaller than the second inside diameter 166 of the top aperture 140 of the receiver 100. This allows the sign post 10 to fit into the receiver 100. See
In another embodiment of the present invention the sign post anchoring device 1 uses a securing mechanism to better retain the device 1 to the sign post 10. In the male-to-female connection configuration described above, the receiver 100 may comprise one or more pins 182, with each pin 182 being attached to one side 180 of the receiver 100 and extending outward from the receiver 100 in an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the receiver 100. These pins 182 are matched by a corresponding number of side apertures 42 located in the side of the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10. See
In another embodiment of the present invention the sign post anchoring device 1 using a securing mechanism, the receiver 100 comprises one or more side apertures 184, with each said side aperture 184 being formed into a side 180 of the receiver 100 and extending inward into the receiver 100, the lower portion 12 of the sign post 10 has one or more side apertures 42 corresponding to the number of side apertures 184 of the receiver 100. See
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims. The exemplary embodiments, along with some variations, were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention in which all terms are meant in their broadest, reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Other embodiments not specifically set forth herein are therefore also within the scope of the following claims.