Gate panel attachment assembly

• US 6,389,659 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RR Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Reliable Racing Supply Incorporated
• Inventors: Jacobs, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDY, ROBERT JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/640,720
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 24/16.PB, 24/16.R, 24/17.B, 24/305.R, 24/305.S, 24/305.P, 243/00, 406/03, 406/07, 406/11, 405/36, 405/37, 116/173, 404/10, 404/603, 404/617, 132/295
• US Class Current: 24/573.09
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/062 Slalom gate poles, posts or marking sticks for sport fields
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/00 Flexible elongated elements, e.g. straps, for bundling or supporting articles attached to or integral with bags or sacks B65D33/165; for securing load B60P7/0823
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/14 Devices or coupling-pieces designed for easy formation of adjustable loops, e.g. choker hooks; Hooks or eyes with integral parts designed to facilitate quick attachment to cables or ropes at any point, e.g. by forming loops
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45005 with third detached member completing interlock [e.g., hook type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4501 Quick connect or release [e.g., spring and detent]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45089 Sliding or rotating element

Abstract

A gate panel attachment assembly having a pair of poles and a panel. The panel includes a pair of sleeves for accepting the poles. Adjacent to each sleeve, lies a mounting surface including a grommet in each. The attachment assembly includes an elastic cord and plastic button. The ends of the cord are fixed in an inner portion of the button. Once the poles are fed through each sleeve, a looped end of the elastic cord is stretched around each sleeved pole and extended over top of the button. The elastic cord rests between the button and grommet under tension creating a self-retaining system.

Claims

1. A gate panel attachment assembly attaching a panel to a spaced pair of poles, the panel includes a pair of sleeves on opposing ends of said panel, each sleeve respectively engaging one of said pair of poles, the gate panel attachment assembly comprising:

a button;

a cord having a fixed end housed in the button forming a loop in said cord; and

a mounting surface adjacent to each of said pair of sleeves with a grommet included therein, wherein the loop is fed through the grommet until the button comes in contact with the grommet, so that while the poles are positioned in said pair of sleeves in the panel, the cord is stretched around each sleeved pole and over a top of the button.

2. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein the loop of the cord rests between a lower surface of said button and the grommet.

3. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 1, further including a fastener.

4. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 3, wherein said fixed end of said cord is positioned opposite said loop and is crimped by said fastener.

5. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 4, wherein the button houses the fixed end of the cord and the fastener in an inner surface thereof.

6. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 5, wherein said fastener is metal.

7. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein said cord is an elastic material which stretches around each sleeved pole creating a tension which retains the poles in the sleeves of the panel.

8. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein said button is plastic.

9. An attachment assembly for attaching a gate panel including a panel with sleeves and a pair of poles, the sleeves include a mounting surface including a grommet therein adjacent to the sleeves, the attachment assembly further comprising:

a button;

an elastic cord having a loop;

a fastener, housed in said button, and crimping opposite ends of said elastic cord forming the loop of said cord;

wherein the loop is sized to be fed through the grommet until the button comes in contact with the grommet, and so that while the poles are positioned in said pair of sleeved in the panel, the loop of the elastic cord is stretched around each sleeved pole and over a top of the button, the loop of the cord rests between a lower surface of said button and the grommet.

10. The attachment assembly of claim 9, wherein the button includes a larger diameter middle portion between the top of the button and the lower surface of the button, wherein the loop portion is stretched over the top of the button and around the larger diameter middle portion of the button where the loop is retained between the lower surface of the button and the grommet.

11. The attachment assembly of claim 9, wherein said fastener is metal.

12. The attachment assembly of claim 9, wherein said elastic cord stretches around each sleeved pole and button, creating a tension which retains the poles in the sleeves of the panel.

13. The attachment assembly of claim 9, wherein said button is plastic.

14. A gate panel attachment assembly attaching a panel to a pair of poles, the panel includes a pair of sleeves on opposing ends of said panel, each sleeve is for engagement with said pair of poles and includes a mounting surface with a grommet therein, adjacent to the sleeves, the attachment assembly further comprising

a plastic button having a top, middle, and bottom;

an elastic cord having a fixed end forming a loop; and

wherein the loop is fed through the grommet until the bottom of the button comes in contact with the grommet, while he poles are positioned in said pair of sleeves in the panel, the elastic cord is stretched around each sleeved pole and over a top of the button, stretched over the middle of the button which has a large diameter, and rests between the bottom of the button and the grommet.

15. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 14, further including a fastener.

16. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 15, wherein said fixed end of said cord is positioned opposite said loop and is crimped by said fastener.

17. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 16, wherein the button houses the fixed end of the cord and the fastener in an inner surface thereof.

18. The gate panel attachment assembly of claim 15, wherein said fastener is metal.

19. A method of assembling a gate panel attachment assembly providing a gate panel and a spaced pair of poles, comprising the steps of:

inserting each of said pair of spaced poles into respective sleeves of said panel, said sleeves on opposing ends of said panel; and

feeding a loop end of an elastic member through a grommet, positioned adjacent to each sleeve and forming a sleeve circumference for accepting each of said pair of poles, until a button at an opposite end of said elastic member comes into contact with said grommet.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of extending said loop end around a sleeved portion of said pair of poles, over a top of said button, stretched over a middle of said button which has a larger diameter, to rest between a bottom of the button and the grommet.