Adjustable-length tube, in particular for poles

• US 20050207829A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lekisport AG
• Original Assignee: Klaus Lenhart
• Inventors: Lenhart, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/109.500
• 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 7/1463 with the expansion of an element inside the outer telescoping member due to the axial movement towards a wedge or a conical member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32467 Telescoping members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32501 Cam or wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7067 Threaded actuator

Abstract

An adjustable-length tube (10) for sticks, having an outer tube (12) and an inner tube (11) that can be inserted telescope-like into the outer tube (12) for adjusting the length of the tube, and having a spreading device (15) that is supported at the insertion end of the inner tube (11), the spreading device being able to clamp the inner tube (11) axially in the outer tube (12) and having a spreading element (16) that can be radially pressed apart and that is furnished with an inner cone (27), an interior element (17) that is provided with a reverse-oriented outer cone (22) and that is accommodated in the spreading element (16) so as to be axially movable, and an adjusting screw (18) that is axially oriented and is supported in a rotationally fixed manner on the inner tube (11), the adjusting screw having an operational connection to an internally threaded bore (21) in the interior element (17). So that an adjustable-length tube of this type responds to impact-like axial stresses by continuing to clamp rather than sliding or giving way, provision is made that the inner cone (27) of the spreading element (16) is situated such that it opens in the direction of the inner tube (11), and the spreading element (16) is supported between an inner limit stop (28) on the inner tube (11) and an exterior limit stop (26) on the free end of the adjusting screw (18) so as to be axially movable within narrow limits.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. An adjustable-length pole, the pole comprising:

at least one outer tube;

an inner tube structured and dimensioned for insertion into said outer tube in a telescoping fashion for adjusting a length of the pole;

an inner limit stop disposed at an end of said inner tube;

an adjusting screw axially oriented within said outer tube and supported in a rotationally fixed manner on said end of said inner tube;

an exterior limit stop disposed on a free end of said adjusting screw;

a spreading element, said spreading element structured to be radially pressed apart, said spreading element having a bore defining an inner cone, said inner cone opening towards said end of said inner tube, said spreading element disposed between said inner limit stop and said exterior limit stop such that it can move axially within narrow limits; and

an axially moveable interior element having an outer cone structured, dimensioned, and disposed for cooperation with said inner cone of said spreading element, said interior element having an internal threaded bore cooperating with said adjusting screw, wherein said spreading element and said interior element cooperate to form a spreading device supported at axially said end of said inner tube, said spreading device for clamping said inner tube within said outer tube.

9. The pole of claim 8, wherein the pole is a stick.

10. The adjustable-length pole of claim 8, wherein said spreading element is configured in a pot-like fashion, wherein a pot base is penetrated by a free end area of said adjusting screw, facing away from said inner tube.

11. The adjustable-length pole of claim 8, wherein said spreading element comprises a cylindrical shoulder having a smaller exterior diameter and facing said inner tube, said shoulder being axially guided at one area of said end of said inner tube.

12. The adjustable-length pole of claim 8, wherein said exterior limit stop is formed by a cap that is axially secured at said free end of said adjusting screw after said spreading element has been set in place.

13. The adjustable-length pole of claim 8, wherein said exterior limit stop is formed by a head that is molded onto said free end of said adjusting screw, with said spreading element having a peripheral slot that extends along an entire axial length of said spreading element.

14. The adjustable-length pole of claim 11, wherein said spreading device has a plug that accommodates said adjusting screw in an axial and rotationally fixed manner, said plug being supported axially and in a rotationally fixed manner in said inner tube and defining said inner limit stop, said plug having an axially protruding guide member cooperating with said cylindrical shoulder of said spreading element.

15. The adjustable-length pole of claim 8, wherein said interior element has one or more radially protruding fins, which are guided in axial slots of said spreading element.