System and Method for an Adjustable Support Stake for Securing and Supporting Items Above the Ground

Abstract

An adjustable support stake for securing and supporting items above the ground including a substantially tapered stake at a first end and a housing formed around a rotatable member that can be rotated about a longitudinal axis from an access point on the housing at a second end. The rotatable member being capable of attaching to a cable that is also attached to the item to be secured or supported so that when the rotatable member is rotated the tension in the cable is increased. A tension release member further allows for adjustability by reducing cable tension when decoupled from the rotational member. The adjustable support stake can be used by inserting the stake into the ground, attaching a cable to both the rotatable member and the item to be supported, and rotating the rotatable member to create tension in the cable.

Claims

1. An adjustable support stake system for securing and supporting items above the ground, the support stake system comprising: a support stake having: a first end further comprising: a substantially tapered stake; a second end further comprising: a housing formed around a rotatable member, wherein the rotatable member is rotatable about a longitudinal axis via an access point on the housing; wherein the rotatable member is positioned substantially perpendicular and coupled to a tension release member; and wherein the housing contains an aperture that is shaped and positioned to allow access by a cable to the rotatable member; and a tension release member that releases the tension; the cable having a first end that is attached to the rotatable member within the housing at the second end of the adjustable support stake; wherein the cable has a second end that attaches to the item to be supported; and wherein the rotatable member that is rotated to create tension that is maintained via the tension release member.

2. The adjustable support stake system of claim 1, wherein: the rotatable member is attached to a cable and adjust the tension in the cable when the rotatable member is rotated.

3. The adjustable support stake system of claim 1, wherein: the substantially tapered stake comprises two substantially planar members joined substantially perpendicular to each other along the longitudinal axis.

4. The adjustable support stake system of claim 1, wherein: the tension release member comprises an outer protrusion and an inner protrusion and is configured to prevent rotation of the rotational member in a first direction.

5. The adjustable support stake system of claim 1, wherein: the rotatable member comprises a gear positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the gear having teeth against which the tension release member engage to maintain the tension.

6. The adjustable support stake system of claim 5, wherein: the tension release member is configured to release the tension in the rotational member when the tension release member is decoupled from the gear.

7. The adjustable support stake system of claim 1, wherein: the access point for the rotatable member comprises a receiving end configured to interface with a tool.

8. The adjustable support stake system of claim 1, wherein: the access point for the rotatable member comprises a rotatable cap further comprising a texturized outer surface.

9. The adjustable support stake system of claim 1, wherein: the aperture is located on a first side of the housing.

10. A method of using an adjustable support stake for securing and supporting an item above the ground, comprising: inserting a first tapered end of an adjustable support stake into the ground; attaching a cable to a rotatable member within a housing of a second end of the adjustable support stake; attaching the cable to the item to be supported; creating a tension in the cable by rotating the rotatable member; and releasing the tension by activation of a tension release member.

11. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: inserting a tool into a receiving end on the rotatable member; and rotating the tool around the support stake to create the tension in the cable.

12. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: holding a textured outer surface of a rotatable cap coupled to the rotatable member; and rotating the rotatable cap to create the tension in the cable.

13. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: attaching the rotatable member attach to the cable; and adjusting the tension in the cable when the rotatable member is rotated.

14. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: employing the substantially tapered stake which comprises two substantially planar members joined substantially perpendicular to each other along the longitudinal axis.

15. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: preventing rotation of the rotational member in a first direction via the tension release member which comprises an outer protrusion and an inner protrusion.

16. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: positioning a gear substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable member; and engaging, by the tension release member, the gear to maintain the tension.

17. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 16, further comprising: releasing the tension in the rotational member via the tension release member when the tension release member is decoupled from the gear.

18. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: interfacing with a tool via a receiving end of the access point for the rotatable member.

19. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: employing a rotatable cap to the access point for the rotatable member.

20. The method of using an adjustable support stake of claim 10, further comprising: employing a texturized outer surface to the rotatable cap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the figures, like reference numbers refer to like elements or acts throughout the figures.

[0025] FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of an adjustable support stake system in x-ray view from a side perspective.

[0026] FIG. 2 depicts a top-down cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the internal of the housing along the A-axis, showing how the tension release member is coupled to the rotatable member.

[0027] FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of an adjustable support stake system from a side perspective.

[0028] FIG. 4 depicts a cross sectional view of an embodiment of an adjustable support stake system from a side perspective.

[0029] Elements and acts in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence or embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices and technologies to which the disclosed inventions may be applied. The full scope of the inventions is not limited to the examples that are described below.

[0031] The present inventions provide among other things a system and a method for adjustably supporting objects above the ground. Ordinarily, a support stake or system must be completely uncoupled from the object that it is supporting to allow a user to adjust the system and allow it to provide proper support to an object. The advantages of the disclosed inventions allow a user to adjust the support system without needing to uncouple the support system from the object that is being supported.

[0032] In one application, the system comprises a substantially tapered stake 101 and a housing 102, formed around a rotatable member 104. FIG. 1 shows the rotatable member 104 within the housing 102 and an aperture 103 on a first side of the housing 102 that allows access to the to the rotatable member. Though FIGS. 1-4 depict the housing 102 in a cylindrical shape, the housing may be formed from any shape such as by non-limiting example, rectangular prism, sphere, cubic, or trapezoidal prism. The rotatable member 104 within the housing is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis 303 shown in FIG. 3, via use of an access point 107 on the housing 102. FIG. 2 depicts a cross section of FIG. 1 along the A axis and depicts a tension release member 105 coupled to the rotatable member 104 that allows for further adjustability to the support provided by the system. FIG. 1 also depicts how the tension release member 105 may be positioned substantially perpendicular to the rotatable member 104. A user may adjust the support stake by rotating the rotatable member 104 via the access point 107 on the housing 102 to create tension in the rotatable member.

[0033] In one application, the substantially tapered stake 101 may be configured from two substantially planar members 304, 305 that are joined substantially perpendicular to each other along the longitudinal axis 303. This configuration allows for the support stake to be easily inserted into the ground with the planar members 304, 305 providing resistance to movement of the substantially tapered stake 101.

[0034] Though FIGS. 1-4 present an embodiment with two planar members, any number of planar members may be used to comprise the substantially tapered stake 101. By providing movement resistance, the planar members stabilize the support stake so it can withstand environmental effects such as high winds, heavy rainfall, or flood water as well as any tension between the support stake and the object that is being supported.

[0035] In one application, the rotatable member 104 may be configured to attach to a cable and adjust the tension in the cable when the rotational member is rotated. The cable used with the rotatable member may be any string, rope or other suitable cable material that can withstand tension. In another application, as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the aperture 103 is located on a side of the housing 102 and allows access to the rotatable member 104. This location permits a user to thread a cable through the aperture 103 so that it may be attached to the rotatable member 104. This configuration allows for a cable to be used with the adjustable support stake while minimizing any environmental debris that could get caught within the rotatable member 104 while the cable coils around it and impact its function.

[0036] In another application, a second aperture may be positioned opposite the first aperture 103 on the housing 102. In this configuration a cable may be threaded through both apertures so that upon rotation of the rotatable member 104 the cable may become bound upon itself. This configuration is advantageous as it eliminates any need to attach the cable to the rotatable member, relying instead on friction between the cable and itself.

[0037] In one application, the rotatable member 104 may comprise a gear 106 that is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 303. The gear 106 may be positioned within the housing 102 so that the gear may be toothedly coupled to the tension release member 105. The alignment and coupling of the tension release member 105 and the rotatable member 104 is depicted in FIG. 2. This configuration allows a user to further adjust the tension in the rotatable member by maintaining tension when engaged and releasing tension when disengaged.

[0038] In one application, the tension release member 105 may comprise an outer protrusion 302 and an inner protrusion 301. The tension release member 105 may be positioned on the housing 102 so that the inner protrusion 301 is located on the interior of the housing and the outer protrusion 302 is located on the exterior of the housing. In some applications, the tension release member 105 may be configured to allow a user to couple and decouple the inner protrusion 301 from the rotatable member 104.

[0039] By toothedly coupling the inner protrusion 301 to the gear 106 of the rotatable member 104, the tension release member 105 may prevent rotation of the gear 106 in a first direction while allowing rotation in a second direction. This configuration permits the rotatable member 104 to rotate in the second direction and increase tension in an attached cable.

[0040] By decoupling the inner protrusion 301 from the gear 106 of the rotatable member 104, the tension release member 105 permits the gear to turn in the first direction. This releases any existing tension in the rotatable member 104 and any cable attached thereto.

[0041] In one application, the access point 107 for the rotatable member 104 may comprise a receiving end 109 configured to interface with a tool. Though, FIGS. 1 and 3-4 depict this receiving end 109 as a square shape, the receiving end may be configured to interface any standard or proprietary tool size and shape such as by nonlimiting example, Phillips screwdriver, flat head screwdriver, wrench, socket wrench, or Allen wrench. This receiving end 109 would allow for a user to rotate the rotatable member 104 in the second direction by inserting a tool into the receiving end 109 and applying rotational force to increase tension.

[0042] In another application, the access point 107 for the rotatable member may comprise a rotatable cap 306 with a texturized outer surface 108. FIG. 1 depicts a texturized outer surface 108 in the form of notches on the surface of the rotatable cap 306. However, the texturized outer surface 108 may be comprised of any form of texturization that would allow a user to obtain sufficient grip to rotate the rotatable member 104. The convenience of the adjustable support stake is increased by texturizing the access point 107 for the rotatable member as a user will not need any tools to utilize the inventions.

[0043] In one application, the adjustable support stake may be used to support an item above the ground by inserting the first end comprising a substantially tapered stake 101 into the ground. A cable may be attached to both the rotatable member 104 within the housing 102 of the second end and to the item that the user desires to provide support to. Tension may then be created in the cable by rotating the rotatable member 104. If desired, the tension may be released by activating the tension release member 105.

[0044] In another application the adjustable support stake may be used by inserting a tool into the receiving end 109 on the rotatable member 104 and rotating the tool around the support stake to create tension in the cable. This tool may be a standard wrench, socket wrench, screwdriver, proprietary tool, or any other tool that the receiving end 109 is designed to interface with.

[0045] In another application, the adjustable support stake may be used by holding the textured outer surface 108 of the rotatable cap 306 that is attached to the rotatable member 104. The rotatable cap 306 may then be rotated to create tension in the cable attached to the object to be supported. The texturized outer surface 108 may be formed from any texture that would provide sufficient grip to overcome the tension in the cable to the user so that they may rotate the rotatable member. This rotation may be done by hand or any other means by which a user could establish grip with the rotatable cap 306.

[0046] In places where the description above refers to particular implementations of systems and methods for an adjustable support stake, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and that these implementations may be applied to other systems and methods for adjustable support stakes.