General purpose holder

• US 9,677,594 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ralph James Hemmerlin
• Original Assignee: Ralph James Hemmerlin
• Inventors: Hemmerlin, Ralph James
• Primary Examiner(s): Parsley, David
• Application Number:
  US14/529,770
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 43 212, 2483112, 248511, 248514, 248520-521, 248538-539
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/10 Supports for rods
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/005 Set screws; Locking means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/06 allowing pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable

Abstract

A flexible general purpose holder apparatus easily attached to and detached from supporting members with either a flick of a wrist or a fasting element such as a screw or mechanical fastener, and can be adjusted in an angle of up to 90 degrees in a stable manner about a line perpendicular to the length of the support member and in an angle of up to 90 degrees in a stable manner about a line that is perpendicular to the first line. The apparatus comprises a holding element, a connecting rod, a joining element, first attaching element, and an effective length.

Claims

1. A general purpose holder apparatus, comprising:

a holding element;

a connecting rod having a length with a first longitudinal axis, a first end with an enlarged second diameter, and a second end adapted to be releasably affixed to the holding element in a stable rotatable manner about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and passed though the point where the second end contacts the holding element;

a joining element with a first end comprising a female threaded opening and a second end releaseably and rotatably affixed to the first end of the connecting rod, the joining element comprising a hole that encompasses the first diameter of the connecting rod and not the enlarged second diameter of the first end of the connecting rod,

wherein the joining element engages the connecting rod through the hole;

an attaching element comprising a head and a body, the body having a male threaded end configured to screwably affix to the female threaded opening of the first end of the joining element, the joining element having a rotatable connection point comprising a release surface having a surface tension less than that of the material of the male threaded end of the attaching element, wherein the rotatable connection point, after rotation, will remain stable; and

an effective length that extends from a point wherein the first end of the connecting rod engages the second end of the joining element to the point where the second end of the connecting rod contacts the holding element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the head of the first attaching element comprises a snap clamp with a width and a curvature adapted to securely fit around a support member without the use of screws or tools.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the opening of the snap claim is suitable to detachably attach to a common support pole having an outside diameter from the group consisting of about 0.38 inch, of about 0.5 inch, or about 0.63 inch, and of about 0.75 inch.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the head of the first attaching element comprises a plate configured to be affixed with screws or mechanical fasteners to a flat support structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the holding element is selected from a group consisting of a can or bottle holder, a hook, a snap claim sized to hold a light, and a rattle reel.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the light has a diameter of about 1 inch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connecting rod can be rotated up to 90 degrees about the first axis and up to 90 degrees about the second axis and will remain stable under two pounds of pull that is perpendicular to each axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connecting rod can be rotated up to 90 degrees about the first axis and up to 90 degrees about the second axis and will remain stable under normal use.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the effective length is at least 1 inch.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the effective length is no more than 5 inches.

11. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the effective length is no more than 12 inches.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second end of the connecting rod is releaseably affixed to the holding element with a screw.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the apparatus comprises plastic except for the screw.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support cylinder comprises a support in a lawn chair, camping tent or ice-fishing house.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the release surface comprises a low adhesion back size.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the release surface comprises polyfluoroethylene adhesive tape.

17. A method of using a general purpose holder apparatus comprising:

providing a general purpose holder apparatus comprising;

a holding element;

a connecting rod having a length with a first longitudinal axis, a first diameter, a first end with an enlarged second diameter, and a second end adapted to be releaseably affixed to the holding element in a stable rotatable manner about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and passes through the point where the second end contacts the holding element;

a joining element with a first end comprising a female threaded opening and a second end releaseably and rotatably affixed to the first end of the connecting rod, the joining rod comprising a hole that encompasses the first diameter of the connecting rod and not the enlarged second diameter of the first end of the connecting rod,

wherein the joining element engages the connecting rod through the hole;

an attaching element comprising a head, and a body, the body having a male threaded end configured to screwably affix to the female threaded opening of the first end of the joining element, the joining element having a rotatable connection point comprising a release surface having a surface tension less than that of the material of the male threaded end of the attaching element, wherein the rotatable connection point, after rotation, will remain; and

an effective length that extends from a point wherein the first end of the connecting rod engages the second end of the joining element to the point where the second end of the connecting rod contacts the holding element;

providing a support member;

affixing the head to the support member;

rotating the apparatus about the first axis and second axis to achieve a desired position of the holding element, and

using the holding element for its intended purpose of use by placing a desired object in the holder.

18. The method of 17, wherein the head of the first attaching element comprises a snap clamp having a width and a curvature adapted to securely fit around a support member without the use of screws or tools.

19. The method of 17, wherein the head of the first attaching element comprises a plate configured to be affixed with screws or mechanical fasteners to a flat support structure.