Trekking pole clamp and methods

• US 8,006,711 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University), Easton Technical Products
• Original Assignee: Easton Technical Products
• Inventors: Hinschberger, Ross M., Pietrzak, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): YIP, WINNIE S
• Application Number:
  US12/348,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20100170547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 135 65- 66, 135/69, 135/75, 135/76, 24270-271, 242/73, 248/230.1, 248/230.2, 248/231.21, 248/411, 248/218.4, 248/229.1, 280/814, 280/81, 280823-824, 280/819, 285/365, 285/409, 403102-103
• US Class Current: 135/75
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2009/007 of adjustable length, e.g. telescopic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 9/00 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 11/221 telescopic, e.g. for varying the length or for damping shocks
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/1454 with a clamp locking the telescoping members by swinging a handle provided with a locking cam F16B7/1418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44017 with specific mounting means for attaching to rigid or semirigid supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44291 including pivoted gripping member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44496 with operator means for moving pivoted member

Abstract

A clamp apparatus that includes a base portion and an adjustable clamping lever. The base portion defines an adjustable size aperture. The adjustable clamping lever is mounted to the base portion and is movable between an unlatched position and a latched position. The adjustable clamping lever has a length that is adjustable to clamp the base portion to elongate members having a cross-section. The adjustable clamping lever may include at least two link members. One of the link members may have an adjustable length.

Claims

1. A trekking pole clamp apparatus, comprising:

a single-piece base portion defining an adjustable size aperture;

an adjustable clamping lever mounted to the base portion, the adjustable clamping lever including first and second link portions, the first link portion having a first end connected to the base member and pivotable relative to the base member about a first pivot axis, and a second end connected to the second link portion and pivotable relative to the second link portion about a second pivot axis, the second link portion having a pivot end that contacts the base member at a pivot surface and an actuator end that is engageable by a user to move the adjustable clamping lever between a latched position and an unlatched position;

wherein the first link portion having a length that is adjustable for adjustably clamping the base portion to a trekking pole, the adjustable clamping lever being rotatable from the unlatched position, through a top dead center pivot point, and into the latched position to fix an adjusted position of the trekking pole.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the second link portion measured between the pivot end and the second pivot axis is constant.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustable size aperture has a generally circular cross-section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first link member includes first and second link segments, the first link segment having a threaded protrusion sized to rotatably engage within a threaded aperture of the second link segment.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pivot end includes a first constant radius surface and the pivot surface includes a second constant radius surface.

6. A trekking pole assembly, comprising:

a pole assembly, comprising;

a first pole member;

a second pole member being insertable within the first pole member;

a first clamp apparatus mounted to the first pole member, the first clamp apparatus comprising;

a single-piece base portion defining an adjustable size aperture;

an adjustable clamping lever pivotally mounted to the base portion at a first end of the adjustable clamping lever, an opposing end of the adjustable clamping lever being movable between a first position detached from the base portion, a second position engaged with the base portion and in an unlatched state, and a third position engaged with the base portion and in a latched state, the adjustable clamping lever having a length that is adjustable, the first clamp apparatus being operable to fix a relative position of the first and second pole members, the adjustable clamping lever being rotatable from the second position, through a top dead center pivot point, and into the third position.

7. The trekking pole assembly of claim 6, wherein when the adjustable clamping lever is in the first and second positions, the first clamp apparatus permits relative movement between the first and second pole members, and when the adjustable clamping lever is in the third position the first clamp apparatus applies a constricting force to the first pole member that restricts relative movement between the first and second pole members.

8. The trekking pole assembly of claim 6, wherein the pole assembly further includes a third pole member and second clamp apparatus, the third pole member being insertable within the second pole member, the second clamp apparatus including:

a single-piece base portion defining an adjustable size aperture;

an adjustable clamping lever pivotally mounted to the base portion at a first end of the adjustable clamping lever, an opposing end of the adjustable clamping lever being movable between a first position detached from the base portion, a second position engaged with the base portion and in an unlatched state, and a third position engaged with the base portion and in a latched state, the adjustable clamping lever having a length that is adjustable, the first clamp apparatus being operable to fix a relative position of the second and third pole members, the adjustable clamping lever being rotatable from the second position, through a top dead center pivot point, and into the third position.

9. The trekking pole assembly of claim 6, wherein the adjustable clamping lever includes first and second link portions, the first link portion having a first end pivotally connected to the base member and a second end pivotally connected to the second link portion, the second link portion having a pivot end that contacts the base member at a pivot surface and an actuator end that is engageable by a user to move the adjustable clamping lever between the second and third positions.

10. The trekking pole assembly of claim 9, wherein a length of the first link portion is variable.

11. The trekking pole assembly of claim 10, wherein a length of the second link portion measured between the pivot end and a point at which the second link portion is connected to the first link portion is constant.

12. A trekking pole clamp apparatus, comprising:

a single-piece base portion defining an adjustable size aperture and having a pivot recess and a pivot recess lip defined at an edge of the pivot recess;

an adjustable clamp lever comprising;

a first link portion pivotally mounted to the base portion at a first pivot point, the first link portion having a length that is adjustable;

a second link portion pivotally connected to the first link portion at a second pivot point, the second link portion having a pivot end and an actuator end, the adjustable clamp lever being movable between a disconnected position with the pivot end removed from contact with the pivot recess and the pivot recess lip, a connected position with the pivot end engaged with the pivot recess and retained in the connected position with the recess lip and the actuator end is spaced away from the base portion, and a locked position wherein the actuator end is in engagement with the pivot recess and rotated from the connected position, through a top dead center pivot point, and into a position adjacent to the base portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pivot recess defines an arc having a midpoint, and a top dead center line passes through the first pivot point and the midpoint, wherein moving the second link portion from the connected position through the top dead center line to the locked position provides retention of the second link portion in the locked position.