SNOW STAKE DRIVER AND ASSOCIATED METHOD FOR USING THE SAME

Abstract

A snow stake driver that allows for fast, safe, and convenient placement of snow stakes at controlled and/or predetermined depths in soil with aggregate and/or rocks, including: a body, wherein the body is elongated and includes a first end and a second end; a handle member, wherein the handle member is positioned proximate to the first end of the body; a depth setting plate, wherein the depth setting plate is positioned proximate to the second end of the body; and a ground-engaging drive rod.

Claims

1. A snow stake driver that allows for fast, safe, and convenient placement of snow stakes at controlled and/or predetermined depths in soil with aggregate and/or rocks, comprising: a body, wherein the body is elongated and comprises a first end and a second end; a handle member, wherein the handle member is positioned proximate to the first end of the body; a depth setting plate, wherein the depth setting plate is positioned proximate to the second end of the body; and a ground-engaging drive rod.

2. The snow stake driver according to claim 1, wherein the body includes an outer wall, an inner wall, an inner top surface, and an aperture.

3. The snow stake driver according to claim 2, wherein the inner wall of the body includes a ground-engaging drive rod stop member that serves to limit lower displacement of the ground-engaging drive rod.

4. The snow stake driver according to claim 1, wherein the handle member forms a T-handle with the body.

5. The snow stake driver according to claim 1, wherein the handle member is secured to or forms part of the first end of the body.

6. The snow stake driver according to claim 1, wherein the handle member comprises a weighted sub-assembly that is positioned above the body of the snow stake driver.

7. The snow stake driver according to claim 1, wherein the depth setting plate comprises a disc positioned at the bottom of the second end of the body.

8. The snow stake driver according to claim 3, wherein the ground-engaging drive rod comprises a first end and a second end.

9. The snow stake driver according to claim 8, wherein the first end of the ground-engaging drive rod comprises a head that contacts the inner top surface of the body while in a retracted position.

10. The snow stake driver according to claim 8, wherein the first end of the ground-engaging drive rod comprises a head that contacts the ground-engaging drive rod stop member while in a fully extended position.

11. The snow stake driver according to claim 8, wherein the second end of the ground-engaging drive rod comprises a tip that is adapted to break up aggregate and/or rocks.

12. The snow stake driver according to claim 1, wherein the body, the handle member, the depth setting plate, and the ground-engaging drive rod are independently fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a natural resin, a synthetic resin, a plastic, a composite, and/or wood.

13. A snow stake driver that allows for fast, safe, and convenient placement of snow stakes at controlled and/or predetermined depths in soil with aggregate and/or rocks, comprising: a body, wherein the body is elongated and comprises a first end, a second end, an inner top surface, and a ground-engaging drive rod stop member; a handle member, wherein the handle member is positioned proximate to the first end of the body; a depth setting plate, wherein the depth setting plate is positioned proximate to the second end of the body; a ground-engaging drive rod, wherein the ground-engaging drive rod include a head and is at least partially positioned in the body of the snow stake driver; wherein the snow stake driver is infinitely displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position; wherein when in the retracted position, the head of the ground-engaging drive rod contacts the inner top surface of the body; and wherein when in the extended position, the head of the ground-engaging drive rod contacts the ground-engaging drive rod stop member of the body.

14. The snow stake driver according to claim 13, wherein the body, the handle member, the depth setting plate, and the ground-engaging drive rod are independently fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a natural resin, a synthetic resin, a plastic, a composite, and/or wood.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Certain embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by the accompanying figures. It will be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that details not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may be omitted.

[0031] It will be further understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

[0032] The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0033] FIG. 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of a snow stake driver in accordance with the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 of the drawings is a side view of the snow stake driver of FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 3 of the drawings is a front view of the snow stake driver of FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 4 of the drawings is a rear view of the snow stake driver of FIG. 1;

[0037] FIG. 5 of the drawings is a top view of the snow stake driver of FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 6 of the drawings is a bottom view of the snow stake driver of FIG. 1;

[0039] FIG. 7 of the drawings is a cross-sectional view of the snow stake driver taken along line VII of FIG. 5;

[0040] FIG. 8A of the drawings is a cross-sectional view of a snow stake driver of the present invention shown in a first position (i.e., retracted); and

[0041] FIG. 8B of the drawings is a cross-sectional view of a snow stake driver of the present invention shown in a second position (i.e., extended).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0043] It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings by like reference characters. In addition, it will be understood that the drawings are merely schematic representations of one or more embodiments of the invention, and some of the components may have been distorted from their actual scale for purposes of pictorial clarity.

[0044] Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1-7 in particular, snow stake driver 10 is shown as generally comprising body 12, handle member 14, depth setting plate 16, and ground engaging drive rod 18. In accordance with the present invention, snow stake driver 10 allows for the fast, safe, and convenient placement of snow stakes at controlled and/or predetermined depths in soil with aggregate and/or rocks.

[0045] As is best shown in FIG. 7, body 12 is elongated and includes first or upper end 20, second or lower end 22, outer wall 24, inner wall 26, inner top surface 28, and aperture 30. It will be understood that inner top surface 28 serves to limit upper displacement of ground-engaging drive rod 18 (See FIG. 8A), and the inner wall of the body includes ground-engaging drive rod stop member 32 that serves to limit lower displacement of ground-engaging drive rod 18 (See FIG. 8B).

[0046] Handle member 14 is positioned proximate to first end 20 of body 12. Preferably, handle member 14 is secured to or forms part of first end 20 of body 12 in a T-handle configuration. Such a configuration enables a user to grip and drive the apparatus with two hands.

[0047] Preferably, handle member 14 includes a weighted sub-assembly or component 34 that is positioned above the body of the snow stake driver.

[0048] Depth setting plate 16 of snow stake driver 10 is positioned proximate to the second or lower end of the body. Preferably, depth setting plate 16 includes a disc positioned at the bottom of the second end of the body. It will be understood that, during normal use, depth setting plate 16, engages the ground and thus limits the depth which drive rod 18 can be driven.

[0049] Ground-engaging drive rod 18 includes first or upper end 36 and second or lower end 38. The first end of ground-engaging drive rod 18 includes head 40 that contacts inner top surface 28 of the body while in a retracted position, and contacts ground-engaging drive rod stop member 32 while in a fully extended position. The second or lower end of the ground-engaging drive rod preferably includes pointed tip 42 that is adapted to break up aggregate and/or rocks—especially proximate to roads and/or the end of driveways.

[0050] In accordance with the present invention, the body, the handle member, the depth setting plate, and the ground-engaging drive rod are independently fabricated from metals (e.g. aluminum, tin, copper, nickel, titanium, steel, and alloys thereof), natural resins, synthetic resins, plastics, composites, woods, and mixtures thereof.

[0051] As is best shown in FIG. 4, body 12 preferably includes one or more reflective members and/or tape 44, which protects an installer from vehicles during dusk and/or dawn times of stake installation.

[0052] In operation, a user manually displaces snow stake driver 10 between positions shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. This breaks up and/or displaces aggregate and rocks until the depth setter contacts the surface or ground. The user can then place a snow stake in the ground at the predetermined depth. This operation is repeated until all desired snow stakes have been placed for the season.

[0053] The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0054] While certain embodiments have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that changes and modifications can be made therein in accordance with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the technology in its broader aspects as defined in the following claims.

[0055] The embodiments, illustratively described herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations, not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” etcetera shall be read expansively and without limitation. Additionally, the terms and expressions employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claimed technology. Additionally, the phrase “consisting essentially of” will be understood to include those elements specifically recited and those additional elements that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed technology. The phrase “consisting of” excludes any element not specified.

[0056] The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particular embodiments described in this application. Many modifications and variations can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods and compositions within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to those enumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particular methods, reagents, compounds compositions or biological systems, which can of course vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0057] In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

[0058] As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, particularly in terms of providing a written description, all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subranges and combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, tenths, etcetera. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third, etcetera. As will also be understood by one skilled in the art all language such as “up to,” “at least,” “greater than,” “less than,” and the like, include the number recited and refer to ranges which can be subsequently broken down into subranges as discussed above. Finally, as will be understood by one skilled in the art, a range includes each individual member.

[0059] All publications, patent applications, issued patents, and other documents referred to in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication, patent application, issued patent, or other document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in its entirety. Definitions that are contained in text incorporated by reference are excluded to the extent that they contradict definitions in this disclosure.

[0060] Other embodiments are set forth in the following claims.