Self-rightening riser base

Abstract

A self-rightening riser base self-rightens a riser coupled thereto when knocked from a desired orientation by an object. A riser coupler aperture in the riser base is oversized to allow the riser to move and deflect. A floating flange is configured an offset distance under the cap and is attached to the cap by spring bolts that extend down through the cap to the floating flange. The riser is coupled to the floating flange by a riser coupler. The spring bolt apertures in the cap are oversized to allow the spring bolts to move therein and therefore allow the floating flange and riser coupled thereto to deflect. An electrical fixture may extend through the riser coupler and through a conduit in the riser to an electrical fixture, such as a light. A grommet may be configured in the riser coupler aperture of the cap and prevent water from passing therethrough.

Claims

1. A self-rightening riser base system comprising: a) a cap comprising: i) a top surface; ii) a lower surface; iii) extensions extending down from the top surface; iv) three or more spring bolt apertures configured through the top surface; v) a riser coupler aperture; b) a spring bolt that extends through each of the spring bolt apertures; c) a floating flange; wherein each of the spring bolts are secured to the floating flange and wherein the floating flange is offset an offset distance from the lower surface of cap; d) a spring configured around each of the spring bolts between the cap and the floating flange; e) a riser coupler having an attachment feature for coupling with a riser; f) said riser having an attachment end that is coupled with the riser coupler and wherein the riser extends up from the cap; wherein the riser coupler aperture is oversized to allow the riser to deflect an offset angle of at least 20 degrees; and wherein the springs configured around the spring-bolts return the riser to an original orientation after the riser is deflected said offset angle by a deflection force.

2. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, further comprising an electrical fixture coupled to a fixture end of the riser; and wherein the riser has a conduit from said fixture end to the attachment end, and wherein an electrical lead extends through the cap, through the riser coupler, through the conduit in the riser to the fixture.

3. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, wherein the attachment end of the riser comprises threads and wherein the riser coupler comprises threads configured to couple with said threads of the riser to attach the riser to the riser coupler.

4. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 3, wherein the attachment end of the riser has male threads configured to thread into female threads of the riser coupler.

5. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, further comprising a grommet configured in the riser coupler aperture.

6. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 5, wherein the grommet comprises an elastomeric material.

7. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, wherein the riser coupler extends up from the floating flange toward the riser coupler aperture in the cap.

8. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 7, wherein the riser coupler extends into the riser coupler aperture.

9. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 7, wherein the riser coupler is detachably attachable to the floating flange.

10. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, wherein the riser coupler aperture is oversized to allow the riser to deflect an offset angle of at least 30 degrees.

11. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, wherein the riser coupler aperture is oversized to allow the riser to deflect an offset angle of at least 40 degrees.

12. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, wherein the spring bolt apertures in the cap are oversized to allow the spring bolts to move within the spring bolt aperture.

13. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, comprising three spring bolts and wherein they are configured substantially 120 degrees apart about the riser coupler aperture.

14. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 1, further comprising a housing that is configured inside of the cap, below the top surface of the cap and inside of the extensions of the cap, between the extensions and the floating flange.

15. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 14, further comprising a housing bolt that extends through the cap and is aligned with a top of the housing.

16. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 15, comprising a plurality of housing bolts.

17. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 15, wherein the housing is a cylinder.

18. The self-rightening riser bracket base of claim 15, wherein the riser has a conduit from a fixture end to an attachment end, and further comprising an electrical fixture coupled to the riser; and wherein an electrical lead extends through the cap, through the riser coupler, through the conduit in floating flange.

19. The self-tightening riser bracket base of claim 1, wherein the springs are coiled springs that are coiled about the spring bolt.

20. A self-rightening riser base system comprising: a) a cap comprising: i) a top surface; ii) a lower surface; iii) extensions extending down from the top surface; iv) three or more spring bolt apertures configured through the top surface; v) a riser coupler aperture; b) a spring bolt that extends through each of the spring bolt apertures; c) a floating flange; wherein each of the spring bolts are secured to the floating flange and wherein the floating flange is offset an offset distance from the lower surface of cap; d) a spring configured around each of the spring bolts between the cap and the floating flange; e) a riser coupler having an attachment feature for coupling with a riser; f) a grommet configured in the riser coupler aperture and wherein the grommet is made of an elastic material; g) said riser having a length from an attachment end, attached to the riser coupler, to a fixture end, and wherein the riser extends up from the cap and has a conduit from said fixture end to the attachment end; wherein the attachment end of the riser comprises threads and wherein the riser coupler comprises threads configured to couple with said threads of the riser to attach the riser to the riser coupler; wherein the riser coupler aperture is oversized to allow the riser to deflect an offset angle of at least 20 degrees; and wherein the springs configured around the spring-bolts return the riser to an original orientation after the riser is deflected said offset angle by a deflection force.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary self-rightening riser base.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a top view of an exemplary self-rightening riser base having a riser coupler aperture centrally located in the base.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of an exemplary self-tightening riser base having a floating flange coupled to the cap.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary self-rightening riser base having a floating flange coupled to the cap by a plurality of spring bolts.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary self-rightening riser base being deflected by an object.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary self-rightening riser base that has been adjusted by the spring bolts to produce a vertical riser when the base housing is not oriented in the ground vertically.

(8) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. The invention is scalable within the structural limits of the housing an dcap used as well as the weight of the riser. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

(9) As used herein, the terms comprises, comprising, includes, including, has, having or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of a or an are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

(10) Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

Definitions

(11) Elastomeric is a material that can be compressed by a compressive load and then return to an original shape upon removal of the compressive load.

(12) Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary self-rightening riser base 10 comprises a cap 30 having a riser coupler aperture 33 therethrough. A grommet 16 is configured in the riser coupler aperture and has a flange that extends over the top surface 32 of the cap and over the bottom surface of the cap, to produce a seal around the riser as it moves within the flexible grommet. A riser can be detachable attached to the base by a threaded attachment, for example. The riser may have a threaded end that screws into a riser coupler (not visible in this view). A plurality of spring bolts 70 extend through the cap and couple with a floating flange. The spring bolt heads 72 are shown and the spring bolts are spaced evenly around the riser coupler aperture, or substantially 120 degrees apart, such as within +/10 degrees of 120 degrees. A plurality of housing bolts 80 extend through the cap and provide a means to remove the cap from a housing when required. Again, the housing bolt heads 82 may be spaced evenly around the riser coupler aperture, or about 120 degrees apart. The cap 30 has extensions 34 from the top surface and a height 31 from the top surface 32 to the extended end 35 of the extensions. The cap has an outer diameter 37, as shown in FIG. 2.

(13) As shown in FIG. 3, an exemplary self-rightening riser base 10 has a floating flange 40 coupled to the cap 30 by spring bolts (not visible in this view). The spring bolts are coupled to the floating flange and may extend into spring bolt apertures 36. The riser coupler aperture 33 may extend through the floating flange and has a riser coupler aperture diameter 29 that is oversized to allow the riser to deflect. Note that the riser coupler aperture may extend partially into the floating flange. A housing channel 66 extends as a ring around the outer diameter 46 of the floating flange 40 and the extension 34, or the inner diameter 39 of the cap; the bottom surface 63 of the cap shown defines this channel in this view. The outer diameter 97 of a housing, shown in FIG. 4, is configured to fit within the inner diameter 39 of the cap. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing bolt aperture 38 are configured through the top surface of the cap to align with this housing channel 66 and when installed over a housing, to align with the top surface of the housing.

(14) Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, an exemplary self-rightening riser base 10 has a riser 20 coupled thereto and a fixture coupled to the riser, such as a light fixture. The cap 30 of the self-rightening riser base 10 is configured over a housing 90 and the housing is configured at least partially below a ground level 15. The riser extends up from the ground level. The self-rightening riser base 10 has a floating flange 40 coupled to the cap 30 by a plurality of spring bolts 70. The spring bolts extend through the top surface 32 of the cap and are coupled with floating flange, such as by being threaded into spring bolt apertures 48 in the floating flange. The spring bolt aperture in the floating flange may comprise female threads for engagement with male threads 76 on the spring bolts, and may extend all the way through the floating flange from the top surface 42 to the bottom surface 44, or only a portion of the way through the floating flange. The spring bolts may comprise threads on the extended ends 74. Springs 79, 79 are configured around the spring bolts and produce a force between the bottom surface of the cap and the floating flange to self-righten the riser in the event of a deflection. The floating flange is offset an offset distance 45 from the bottom surface 63 of the cap 30, which allows the floating flange to move when the riser is deflected. The offset distance is from the top of the floating flange 42 to the bottom of the cap. Note that a third spring-bolt is configured behind the riser coupler and is not visible in FIGS. 4 and 5.

(15) The riser 20 is coupled with a riser coupler 50 of the self-rightening riser base 10 which allows the riser to deflect, as shown in FIG. 5. The riser coupler is coupled to the floating flange 40 and may be an extension from the floating flange as shown. The riser coupler may extend up from the floating flange as shown, or may be an aperture within the floating flange. The riser has a length from a fixture end 22 to and attachment end 24 and the attachment end may comprise threads 25, such a male threads configured to screw into female threads 49 in the riser coupler. The exemplary riser coupled has a length from the riser end 52 to the flange end 54. The riser coupler or the riser end of the riser coupler may comprise a threaded riser aperture 56 to allow the riser to thread therein. As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 90 is vertical and therefore the cap sits over the housing to support a riser that extends vertically up therefrom. The housing wall 92 extends up between the floating flange and the extension 34 of the cap 30 and a gap 59 is produced between the housing and the floating flange to allow the floating flange to move, as shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, an object 100, such as a lawn mower, has hit the fixture 12 and has deflected the riser an offset angle 27 from vertical, or from the vertical axis 28. The spring 79 around spring bolt 70 is elongated and the spring 79 around spring bolt 70 is compressed to produce a force to realign or self-righten the riser to vertical when the deflecting force is removed. Note that the gap 59 is enlarged and the gap 59 is reduced in FIG. 5 from that shown in FIG. 4. Again, a third spring-bolt is configured behind the riser coupler and is not visible in FIGS. 4 and 5.

(16) A grommet 16 extends through the riser coupler aperture 33 in the cap and in an exemplary embodiment is a compressible and resilient elastomeric material, to enable the riser to deflect within the grommet. As shown, the grommet has a flange along the top surface of the cap and along the bottom surface of the cap to produce a seal. The riser coupler aperture 33 is oversized and larger in dimension, such as diameter, than the riser coupler or riser that extends therethrough. The riser coupler aperture may be at least 20% larger or more, 30% larger or more, 40% larger or more than the diameter of the riser or riser coupler.

(17) The cap 30 extends over the housing wall 92 and may sit on the top of the housing wall 93. The cap may fit snuggly over the housing 90 and have a very small gap 99 therebetween. In an exemplary embodiment, the cap extension is a cylinder and the housing is also a cylinder to allow a fixture lead 26 to extend therethrough to the riser 20 and through the riser to the fixture. A fixture lead may be an electrical lead and the fixture may be a light or the fixture lead may be a conduit for water and the fixture may be sprinkler head, for example. Overtime, the cap may become difficult to remove from the housing. The housing bolts 80 comprise threads 81 that are threaded through the threaded housing bolt apertures 38 in the cap to align with the top of the housing 93. The housing bolts can be turned to force extended ends 84 downward to press the cap up and off of the housing in this case.

(18) As shown in FIG. 6, an exemplary self-rightening riser base 10 is configured over a housing that is not vertical. The spring bolts have been turned to deflect the floating flange 40 to produce a vertical riser 20. As shown, spring bolt 70 has been turned to extend the floating flange away from the top surface cap and spring bolt 70 has been turned to bring the floating flange toward the top surface of the cap. Spring 79 is elongated and spring 79 is compresses as a result of manipulating the spring bolts.

(19) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.