Trekking Pole Coupling Apparatus for Establishing a Rest

Abstract

Trekking pole coupling device to develop a support for an object against a surface; consisting of two couplings, male and female, each comprising a clamp which may be tensioned against a trekking pole. The male coupling comprising lugs, and the female coupling comprising a socket and lips where the male coupling may be inserted and rotated to removably attach both couplings together. The female coupling also comprising multiple stop sockets were stops may be removably attached to limit the rotation of the male coupling within the female coupling. The device also comprising a track where a fixture may be removably attached to the device enabling an object to be removably attached to the device, via the fixture, for further support.

Claims

1. A trekking pole coupling apparatus comprising: a male coupling with a clamp that may removably attach the male coupling to a trekking pole; a plurality of lugs on the male coupling; a female coupling with a clamp that may removably attach the female coupling to a second trekking pole; a plurality of lips on the female coupling; a plurality of stop sockets on the female coupling, where one or more stops may be removably attached;

2. The trekking pole coupling apparatus of claim 1, where the stops may be removably attached to one or more of the stop sockets and limit the rotation of the removably attached male and female couplings in relation to one another by way of the lugs contacting the stops.

3. The trekking pole coupling apparatus of claim 1, where the axis of the clamps is offset from the perpendicular axis of the lugs and socket to allow for either an increased or decreased, dependent on the orientation of the attached trekking poles, gap between the trekking poles when removably attached to the male and female couplings and when the male and female couplings are removably attached together.

4. A trekking pole coupling apparatus comprising: a track, providing an interface to removably attach an object to the apparatus by way of a fixture which may interface with the track.

5. The trekking pole coupling apparatus of claim 4, where the track is along the outer circumference of the apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a complete system including the object(s), the trekking poles, the coupling device and the fixture according to various embodiments described herein.

[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a trekking pole coupling device in an unattached state according to various embodiments described herein.

[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates another perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a trekking pole coupling device in an unattached state according to various embodiments described herein.

[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a trekking pole coupling device in a removably attached state according to various embodiments described herein.

[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a trekking pole coupling device in a removably attached state according to various embodiments described herein.

[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a trekking pole coupling device fixture according to various embodiments described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a complete system view of elements that may comprise a trekking pole coupling device (the device) according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this embodiment, the device is comprised of two couplings, a male coupling 110 and a female coupling 120 which may be removably attached together. The male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 may each be attached to a trekking pole 101A-B each by way of a clamp 104A-B. The male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 when removably attached together and attached, each, to a trekking pole 101A and 101B may cause the trekking poles 101A-B to cross each other at an angle equal to, less than or greater than a right angle and facilitate the support of an object 100 when rested at or above the intersection of the trekking poles 101A-B.

[0020] In this embodiment, a fixture 130 may be attached to an object 100 allowing the object 100 to be removably attached, by way of the fixture 130, to the female coupling 120. In another embodiment the fixture may attach to the male coupling 110 or both the male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 either independently or concurrently.

[0021] In this embodiment, the male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 are constructed by way of subtractive manufacturing practices from a monolithic copolymer. In other embodiments the coupling male 110 and female 120 may be constructed from, in part or whole, metals, alloys, composites or other natural or synthetic materials by way of additive or subtractive techniques or any combination of.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates the device male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 unattached. In this embodiment, the male coupling 110 may be removably attached to a trekking pole 101A via a clamp 104A. In this embodiment, the clamp 104A is a flexure that may be forcibly tensioned against the trekking pole 101A via a tensioner 105A removably attached to the male coupling 110.

[0023] In this embodiment, the tensioner 105A is comprised of a threaded bolt which penetrates the body of the male coupling 110 to apply pressure to the clamp 104A. In another embodiment, a cam action lever, magnetic keeper, hook, buckle or other tensioning device may be used to tension the clamp 104A against the trekking pole 101A.

[0024] In this embodiment the male coupling 110 includes a plurality of lugs 112A-B which may insert and rotate into the female coupling 120 enabling the male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 to be removably attached together.

[0025] In this embodiment, the clamp 104A is positioned on the male coupling 110 in such a way that the axis of the clamp 104A is offset from the perpendicular axis of the lugs 112A-B.

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates the female coupling 120 and male coupling 110 unattached. In this embodiment, the female coupling 120 may be removably attached to a trekking pole 101B via a clamp 104B. In this embodiment, the clamp 104B is a flexure that may be forcibly tensioned against the trekking pole 101B via a tensioner 105B removably attached to the female coupling 120.

[0027] In this embodiment, the tensioner 105B is comprised of a threaded bolt which penetrates the body of the female coupling 120 to apply pressure to the clamp 104B. In another embodiment, a cam action lever, magnetic keeper, hook, buckle or other tensioning device may be used to tension the clamp 104B against the trekking pole 101B.

[0028] In this embodiment, the female coupling 120 comprises a socket 122 which comprises a plurality of lips 123A-B where the male coupling 110 lugs 112A-B may be inserted into the socket 122 and rotated under the lips 123A-B to removably attach the male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 together.

[0029] In this embodiment, the lips 123A-B are unobstructed on each end, allowing the male coupling 110 lugs 112A-B to rotate indefinitely in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions within the socket 122. In another embodiment, the lips 123A-B may be closed at either end to limit the rotation of the lugs 112A-B in either, or both, the clockwise or counterclockwise rotations.

[0030] In this embodiment, the clamp 104B is positioned on the female coupling 120 in such a way that the axis of the clamp 104B is offset from the perpendicular axis of the socket 122.

[0031] In this embodiment, the female coupling 120 comprises a plurality of stop sockets 124A-F and stops 125A-B. In this embodiment, the stop sockets 124A-F comprise a threaded hole which may accept a threaded stop(s) 125A-B which may be removably attached to the female coupling 120 to prevent the male coupling 110 from rotating beyond desire by way of the lugs 112A-B contacting the stop(s) 125A-B.

[0032] In this embodiment, the lug stop(s) 125A-B are constructed from threaded bolts, but in another embodiment may comprise, a pin, a magnet, a wedge or other removably attached mechanical stop.

[0033] In this embodiment, the female coupling 120 comprises a track 126. In this embodiment the track 126 encircles the entire circumference of the female coupling 120, but in another embodiment, may encircle only a portion of the circumference or perimeter of the either male coupling 110, the female coupling 120 or both the male coupling 110 and female coupling 120.

[0034] FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of the device where the male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 are removably attached together. In this embodiment, the female coupling 120 socket 122 and lips 123A-B are constructed in a manner which allows the male coupling 110 lugs 112A-B to be inserted into the socket 122 and rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise inside the socket 122 and under the lips 123A-B providing an interference fit and enabling the male coupling 110 and female coupling 120 to be removably attached together. In another embodiment, the female coupling 120 socket 122 and male coupling 110 lugs 112A-B may be constructed in a manner allowing for only one direction of rotation of the male coupling 110 lugs 112A-B under the female coupling 120 lips 123A-B.

[0035] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a trekking pole coupling device fixture 130. In this embodiments, the fixture 130 may be removably attached to an object 100 and comprises a clip 131 designed to fit within the female coupling 120 track 126. In this embodiment, the clip 131 is constructed to provide a firm interference fit inside the track 126. In another embodiment, the fixture 130 may be permanently affixed to the either male coupling 110 or female coupling 120, or may include a pin or a bolt to attach the fixture 130 to the either or both male coupling 110 or female coupling 120.

[0036] The Fixture 130 may be integrally attached to the object 100 or may be removably attached to the object 100.