Ski pole holder

A ski pole holder is mounted to a ski lift and secures a skier's ski poles during the ski lift ride. In a first embodiment, a resilient holder secures the ski pools vertically by supporting the ski pole handle from below. In a second embodiment, the holder comprises a pair of resilient bodies adapted for mounting to the ski lift and supporting the ski pole horizontally.

The present invention relates generally to ski equipment and particularly 
to a ski pole holder for attachment to a ski lift. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Skiers, who ride open ski lifts to the top of a ski run, must often carry 
their ski poles in hand or sit upon the poles as they ride. Such open ski 
lifts include chair-like structures suspended from a moving cable. It is 
important to keep a firm hold on the ski poles while riding the ski lift. 
If the poles fall to the ground, the skier has no way immediately to 
retrieve the poles. Some ski poles have hook-like handle structures 
adapted to hang from the frame of the ski lift, but most ski poles do not 
have this capability. For most skiers, the ski lift ride offers an 
opportunity to prepare for the next run. Examples of such activities 
include adjustment of ski clothing, application of lip ointment, and 
cleaning foggy goggles. These activities are hampered by the need to keep 
a firm hold on the ski poles, and many skiers drop their poles. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a ski pole 
holder attaches to a ski lift and includes a formation for slidably 
receiving a rod section of a ski pole, while supporting the ski pole 
handle from below, so as to permit the ski pole to hang upon the holder 
during a ski lift ride. 
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a ski pole 
holder attaches to a ski lift and includes formation for receiving a rod 
section of a ski pole while supporting the ski pole horizontally. A pair 
of such holders mounted upon the lift in horizontal alignment support the 
front and rear portions of the rod section of the ski pole. The holders 
may be dimensioned to receive the rod section of the ski pole, but 
restrict longitudinal movement of the ski pole along the axis of its rod 
section. 
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention in either of the 
above-noted embodiments, the pole holder may be resilient. Such resiliency 
allows the holder to deform as the pole is inserted through an entry 
passage of the holder, thereby serving to capture the pole within the 
holder. Also, in the event that the poles drag upon the ground or strike 
an object, the poles will not bend or fall from the holder. 
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and 
distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. 
However, both the organization and method of operation, together with 
further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by 
reference to the following description taken in connection with the 
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like 
elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to FIGS 1-3, a ski pole holder 10, according to a first 
embodiment of the present invention, includes a resilient retainer body 12 
having a T-shaped inner formation 14. Formation 14 includes an entry 
passage 16 defining an opening 18 and a retention passage 20 intersecting 
passage 16, where passage 16 corresponds to the vertical base of the 
T-shape and passage 20 corresponds to the horizontal cross portion of the 
T-shape. Holder 10 is manufactured by an extrusion process producing 
lengths of rubber compound having a substantially square exterior cross 
section, with formation 14 appearing as a T-shape in lateral cross 
section. The lengths of extruded rubber compound are cut in segments, and 
each segment forms a body 12. Body 12 is then provided with mounting 
apertures 21 through which U-bolts 22 are inserted with nuts 24 being used 
to secure bolts 22 to holder 10. Apertures 21 are counter-sunk, as at 21a, 
to accommodate nuts 24 and maintain passage 20 clear. Holder 10 is mounted 
upon upright 26 (FIG. 3) by capturing upright 26 within the bight of bolts 
22, inserting bolts 22 through apertures 21 and threading nuts 24 upon 
bolts 22. 
Referring to FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIGS. 1-3, ski pole 30 includes rod 
section 32 with handle 34 at its upper end and basket 36 at its lower end. 
Rod section 32 is of smaller diameter than the lower portion of handle 34, 
and formation 14 is wide enough to permit insertion of rod section 32 
within passages 16 and 20 by way of opening 18, i.e., by lateral movement 
of pole 30, yet is narrow enough to prevent the lower portion of handle 34 
from entering formation 14, i.e., by downward axial movement of pole 30, 
once rod section 32 is inserted in formation 14. Thus, rod section 32 is 
slidably received both axially and laterally within formation 14. Also, 
handle 34 is supported from below by the upper surface of holder 10. 
FIG. 5 illustrates preferred mounting locations for holder 10 upon ski lift 
40. In FIG. 5, holder 10a is affixed to upright 26 at sufficient height 
above seat 41, such that when ski poles 30 are held within holder 10, 
baskets 36 are above seat 41. Holder 10b is mounted to arm rest 42 of lift 
40 and the orientation of bolts 22 in apertures 21 may be adjusted to 
accommodate the structure of arm 42. Thus, where holder 10a has 
horizontally aligned apertures 21 for each U-bolt 22, holder 10b requires 
vertically aligned apertures 21 for each U-bolt 22. 
Ski runs may be full runs, where the lift carries the skiers from the 
bottom of the run to the top without any intermediate stops or unloading 
stations, or may include intermediate unloading stations, where the lift 
comes close to the ground or snow level to permit skiers to get off as the 
lift passes through. For lifts with intermediate unloading stations, the 
locations shown for holder 10a is advantageous, as it is undesirable to 
allow baskets 36 to drag as the ski lift passes near ground level. For 
lifts without intermediate unloading stations, the location of holder 10b 
may be preferred as this location is more convenient. 
Holder 10 may be resilient. Even if poles 30 drag upon the ground or strike 
an object while held within holder 10, holder 10 will bend to avoid damage 
to the poles. 
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second method of securing holder 10, wherein a 
galvanized steel plate 50 is positioned within an inset 52 at the back 
wall 54 of passage 20 and nuts 24 (FIGS. 1-3) are replaced by flat head 
nuts 56. Apertures 21 are straight bores through body 12 and are aligned 
with apertures 58 in plate 50 which are counter-sunk, as at 58a, to 
accommodate flat head nuts 56, nuts 56 being threaded internally for 
connection to bolts 22. Holder 10 is mounted to arm 42 by capturing arm 42 
within the bight of bolts 22 and inserting bolts 22 through apertures 21. 
Plate 50 is positioned within inset 52 by inserting bolts 22 through 
apertures 58 and threading nuts 56 upon bolts 22. In this configuration, 
the threaded portions of bolts 22 are well protected within body 12 and 
nuts 56 while plate 50 is flush with the back wall 54 of passage 20, 
leaving passage 20 clear for unencumbered retention of ski poles. It is 
understood that the mounting arrangement shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be 
used to mount holder 10 upon a vertical structure, such as upright 26 of 
FIG. 3, by horizontal alignment of apertures 21, as shown in FIG. 1. 
In operation, skiers board lift 40 with their poles in hand, and once 
seated upon the lift, they place the poles within holder 10 by slipping 
rod section 32 through opening 18, through passage 16 and into retention 
passage 20. Retention passage 20 is dimensioned to accommodate a number of 
poles depending on the number of passengers the lift is designed to carry. 
Ski lift 40 carries two passengers, and retention passage 20 is 
dimensioned to fit four ski poles. Alternately, each holder 10 could be 
dimensioned to hold two poles, and separate holders 10 can be mounted on 
each arm 42 of lift 40. 
FIG. 8 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, adapted to 
attach to a ski lift and support ski poles horizontally. This second 
embodiment comprises a resilient retainer body 80 having a substantially 
rectangular exterior cross-section and a substantially rectangular inner 
formation 82. An upper entry passage 84 allows placement of the rod 
section 32 of ski pole 30 within the space defined by inner formation 82 
by downward lateral movement of ski pole 30. Thus, as seen in the end view 
of FIG. 8, body 80 comprises a generally U-shaped element having an open 
upper end and a closed lower end. More particularly, body 80 includes an 
inner wall 86, a lower wall 88 and an outer wall 90. Inner wall 86 and 
outer wall 90 are substantially vertical, parallel relative to one 
another, and joined by lower wall 88, which is substantially horizontal. 
Retention protrusions 92 and 94 extend from the upper ends of inner wall 
86 and outer wall 90, respectively. Each of protrusions 92 and 94 include 
rounded, opposing faces 96 defining entry passage 84. 
Inner wall 86 is adapted for attachment to a ski lift. As seen in FIG. 8, 
inner wall 86 is attached to arm 42, seen in cross section, of a ski lift. 
The interior surface of inner wall 86 defines an inset formation 98 
dimensioned to receive closely a galvanized steel plate 100. Inset 
formation 98 corresponds in depth to the thickness of plate 100. The 
exposed surface of plate 100 is then flush with the remainder of the 
interior surface of inner wall 86, whereby a substantially rectangular, 
smooth ski pole retaining space is defined. Galvanized plate 100 includes 
counter-sunk apertures 102 for receiving flat head nuts 104. Nuts 104 are 
then flush with the inner exposed surface of plate 100. A U-bolt 110 
surrounds, at its bight portion, the arm 42 of the ski lift and extends 
through vertically aligned mounting apertures 112 of inner wall 86 and 
through apertures 102 of plate 100. Nuts 104 are then threadably engaged 
with U-bolt 110 to capture inner wall 86 between plate 100 and arm 42, 
thereby securing body 80 to the ski lift. 
With body 80 mounted to arm 42 of the ski lift in the manner shown in FIG. 
8, a ski pole 30 is inserted within formation 82 by placing ski pole 30 
horizontally above passage 84 and moving the ski pole laterally and 
downward with respect to its central axis. Ski pole 30 then passes through 
passage 84 and into the retention space defined by inner formation 82 to 
rest on a lower surface 120 of formation 82, the lower surface 120 being 
the inner surface of lower wall 88. Thus, a ski pole so placed within the 
body 80 is supported at its rod section 32 from below by surface 120. 
FIG. 10 illustrates use of the body 80 of FIG. 8 for securing ski poles to 
an open ski lift 130. In a preferred use of the present invention, two 
retainer bodies 80 are mounted to an arm 42 of an open ski lift 130. The 
bodies 80 should be positioned close enough together in order to each 
receive the rod section of ski pole 30, yet far enough apart to provide 
stable support for the ski pole 30. Body 80 is dimensioned to restrict 
longitudinal movement of poles 30 in order to secure poles 30 within body 
80. More particularly, the width of inner formation 82 should be less than 
the width of the handles 34 and of baskets 36, whereby the handles 34 and 
baskets 36 cannot enter formation 82 by longitudinal movement of ski poles 
30. Also, passage 84 may be slightly less in width than the outer diameter 
of rod section 32 of ski pole 30. Because body 80 is resilient, rod 
section 32 may be forced through passage 84, with body 80 giving way or 
deforming to permit such passage, yet suitably retained against exit from 
formation 82 by way of passage 84. 
It may be appreciated that because ski lift 130 is an open ski lift, it is 
important that skiers retain a firm grasp on their ski poles 30 while 
riding the lift. More particularly, if a skier drops one or both poles, 
the poles fall to the ground. The skier is then without poles, until the 
skier is able to return to the site of the dropped poles. By use of the 
present invention, the skier is able to place the ski poles within a 
holder attached to the ski lift. The ski poles are well secured to the ski 
lift without requiring the attention of the skier during the ski lift 
ride. The skier is afforded a more comfortable and relaxing ski lift ride. 
In operation, skiers board lift 130 with their poles in hand, and once 
seated upon the lift, they hold their poles horizontally above the entry 
passages 84 of bodies 80 and force the ski poles 30 through passages 84 
and into the space defined by inner formations 82. The poles are thereby 
supported horizontally and secured to the ski lift 130 during the ski lift 
ride. 
Because ski poles 30 are supported horizontally, there is little chance 
that ski poles 30 will strike objects or drag upon the ground. However, if 
such striking does occur, the resiliency of body 80 will absorb some of 
this impact and prevent damage to poles 30 or ski lift 130. 
Thus, a ski pole holder has been shown which secures a skier's poles while 
the skier rides a ski lift, thereby freeing the skier from the necessity 
of holding the poles in hand or sitting upon the poles. 
While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and 
described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many 
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention 
in its broader aspects. For example, body 12 may be secured to a ski lift 
by means other than bolts 22. The appended claims are, therefore, intended 
to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit 
and scope of the invention.