Abstract:
A walking staff apparatus having a tripod assembly that is releasably fastened to a main shaft. The tripod assembly may be released from the shaft to achieve a compact arrangement for transport or storage. The shaft may also be telescoping to achieve a compact size. The release joint may include a mechanism for centering the shaft and tripod assembly. A magnetic-based mechanism for releasable attachment of an article may be coupled to the shaft. The magnetic-based attachment mechanism may include an anti-rotation device to achieve secure positioning of an article releasable attached to the shaft.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/083,676, filed Mar. 16, 2005, and entitled Walking Staff having Tripod Base and Adaptable Mount. Application Ser. No. 11/083,676 claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application no. 60/554,298, filed Mar. 17, 2004, entitled Walking Staff with Tripod Base and having a common inventor. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a compactible staff for use in walking, photography, hunting, or the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a compactible walking staff that is disassembleable and/or configurable into a compact size for transport and storage, yet possesses in an assembled form sufficient structural integrity to be used as a monopod or a tripod. A walking staff of the present invention is lightweight and may include an adaptable mount to receive a camera, gun rest, spotting scope or other item.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Various walking staff and like devices are known in the art. These include the devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,679,267 for a Combined Walking Stick and Tripod; U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,372 for an Articulated Walking Cane; U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,786 for a Pistol Rest; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,766 for a Geary Convertible Crutch System.  
         [0004]     While these devices make a contribution to the art of walking staffs and tripods, they are disadvantageous for several reasons including, but not limited to, being too bulky, heavy or complicated, or not being sufficiently stable, strong, lightweight or compactible.  
         [0005]     For example, each of the devices shown in the &#39;267, &#39;786 and &#39;766 patents disclose some degree of telescoping, for height adjustment or compacting for storage. The amount of telescoping, however, is limited and thus fails to reduce the overall length to a more desirable length, for example, to conveniently fit inside luggage or under a seat or other location where people that are travelling would want to stow the device.  
         [0006]     Various disassembleable shaft structures are known and include lightweight items such as tent poles and the like. These structures, while being desirably lightweight, tend to have insufficient structural integrity for use in the present invention.  
         [0007]     With respect to other disadvantageous aspects of prior art staffs, the tripod device of the &#39;786 patent is disadvantageous in that the size of the tripod is small relative to the height of its staff, providing limited stability. The tripod configuration of the &#39;786 patent also utilizes lateral supports (for the tripod legs) which add undesirably to the weight and bulk of the device. Additional weight and bulk are disadvantageous in a walking staff, particularly near the tip because a user must precisely place the tip between stones, roots and other obstacles (using primarily the strength of their hand and forearm). In addition, the lateral supports (and related components) increase the complexity of the tripod mechanism and thus, the incidence of mechanical failure, e.g., lateral supports and related components are vulnerable to being bent, broken or otherwise failing. Furthermore, given the multiple parts and their interrelation, field repair is difficult if not impossible.  
         [0008]     Prior art staffs and like devices also fail to provide an adaptable mechanism for the rapid, secure and releasable mounting of a camera, spotting scope, gun rest, or other item.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a walking staff having a tripod that is lightweight, adjustable in height, and capable of being compacted to a small size for travel and/or storage.  
         [0010]     It is another object of the present invention to provide such a walking staff that provides releasable attachment of the leg assembly to aid achieve a sufficiently compact size.  
         [0011]     It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a walking staff that permits releasable attachment of a camera, rest, scope, clamp or other article in a manner that is rapid, secure and not prone to movement once attached.  
         [0012]     These and related objects of the present invention are achieved by use of a compactible walking staff having a tripod base and adaptable mount as described herein.  
         [0013]     In one embodiment, the present invention includes a shaft, a handle region provided at a top portion of the shaft, and a tripod assembly provided below and extending from the shaft that includes at least three legs and is movable between a closed position in which the legs are retracted to form a monopod and an open position in which the legs are extended outwardly. The tripod assembly is releasably coupled to the shaft through a fastening mechanism that includes a first tapered surfaces provided on the shaft and a second tapered surface, complementary to the first tapered surface, provided on the tripod assembly, the complementary first and second surfaces serving to center the tripod assembly with the shaft when the tripod assembly is releasably fastened to the shaft.  
         [0014]     In another embodiment, the present invention may include a shaft with a handle region provided at a top portion thereof and a tripod assembly provided below and extending from the shaft that includes at least three legs and is movable between a closed position in which the legs are retracted to form a monopod and an open position in which the legs are extended outwardly. The tripod assembly is preferably releasably coupled to the shaft through a releasable fastening mechanism and the releasable tripod assembly, in the closed position, is less than approximately half the overall height of the walking staff apparatus.  
         [0015]     In yet another embodiment, the present invention may include a shaft having a handle region provided at a top portion thereof, a tripod assembly that is releasably coupled to the shaft through a releasable fastening mechanism, and a magnetic-based releasable mount mechanism coupled to the shaft, the mount mechanism including a first member and a second member that are releasably coupled through magnetic attraction, the first member being fixedly coupled to the shaft and the second member adapted for attachment to an ancillary article.  
         [0016]     The attainment of the foregoing and related advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention taken together with the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-3  are perspective views of one embodiment of a compactible walking staff having an in-staff release joint in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of staff of  FIGS. 1-3  in a compacted configuration for transport and/or storage.  
         [0019]      FIGS. 5-6  are an exploded cross-sectional view and an assembled cross-sectional view, respectively, of one embodiment of a release joint in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 7-8  are a cross-sectional view of the release joint and the tripod assembly with the tripod legs in the expanded position and the retracted position, respectively, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIGS. 9-10  are an exploded perspective view and a side elevation view of an adaptable movable mount of the staff of  FIGS. 1-3 , respectively, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIGS. 11-12  are a perspective view of a plate and a disk of the movable mount of  FIGS. 9-10  in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a camera being mounted to staff via the patterned plate and disk of  FIGS. 11-12  in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , perspective views of one embodiment of a compactible walking staff  10  having an in-staff release joint  40  in accordance with the present invention is shown.  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate staff  10  in an unextended and a fully extended monopod or walking staff configuration, respectively.  FIG. 3  illustrates staff  10  unextended and in the tripod position.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a side elevation view of staff  10  in a compacted configuration for transport and/or storage in accordance with the present invention is shown.  
         [0026]     Staff  10  may include a palm rest  11  mounted above a handle region  20 . Handle region  20  may include an appropriately shaped grip  21  made of cork, rubber or other suitable material. An adjustable strap  24  may be provided proximate the grip.  
         [0027]     The handle region is preferably provided toward the top of a shaft  30 . The in-staff release joint  40  is preferably provided toward the bottom of shaft  30 . Shaft  30  may be, but is not necessarily, telescoping.  
         [0028]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4 , shaft  30  includes three telescoping sections  31 - 33 , with the palm rest mounted to top section  31 , grip  21  mounted to middle section  32  and in-staff release joint  40  provided below or in bottom section  33 .  
         [0029]     A tripod assembly  50 , including a plurality of tripod legs  51 - 53 , is preferably provided below release joint  40 . A leg strap or the like  58  may be used to maintain the tripod legs  51 - 53  in their “retracted” or monopod position as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0030]     As discussed in more detail below, releaseable joint  40  is uniquely configured to permit ready disassembly and reduced overall length of staff  10  (for stowage, transport, etc.) while permitting ready re-assembly in a manner that provides secure attachment and a high degree of structural integrity.  
         [0031]     The present invention also includes an adaptable mount that permits releasable and secure attachment of palm rest  11  or other items such as a camera, spotting scope, gun or arm rest, surveying equipment, clamps for holding lights or other articles, or any other suitable ancillary article.  
         [0032]     In  FIGS. 1-4 , one embodiment of an adaptable movable mount in accordance with the present invention is shown. Mount  60  is discussed in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 9-13 . A locking screw  64  is shown extending from movable mount  60  that is used to release and set the mount in a desired position.  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 3 , the tripod legs  51 - 53  are shown in their expanded or “tripod” position. Leg tension may be set by a user as described below and permits a user to position legs  51 - 53  in a desired arrangement (to accommodate uneven ground or limited space, etc.). While shaft  30  is shown at the same height as in  FIG. 1 , it should be recognized that shaft  30  may be extended to any height up to that shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , staff  10  is shown in a compacted position with the sections  31 - 33  of telescoping shaft  30  disconnected and release joint  40  released to separate staff  10  into a shaft section  35  and a tripod section  36 . Separating the shaft components in this manner achieves the smallest overall length. Alternatively, to achieve a small length, though not as small as that of  FIG. 4 , the shaft components may be retracted (rather than disconnected), achieving a short, compact arrangement that includes only two pieces. In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the lower shaft section has a larger diameter than the middle and upper sections. This larger diameter, for example, for lower section  33 , provides greater stability at release joint  40  and a larger and stronger base for attachment of the tripod legs.  
         [0035]     Release joint  40  preferably utilizes a tapered threaded fitting or the like for secure, centered and structurally sound connection of the tripod section  36  to the shaft section  35 . The tapered threaded fitting reduces or eliminates play that may develop between a non-tapered threaded fitting and thus achieves a walking staff device that is more rigid and durable.  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , an exploded cross-sectional view and an assembled cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a release joint  40  in accordance with the present invention is shown.  FIG. 5  illustrates a threaded sleeve  38  that is mounted into the bottom of the lower section  33  of shaft  30 . Sleeve  38  may have interior and exterior threads  34 , 37 . While sleeve  38  is shown threaded to the lower section of shaft  30 , it may be glued, press-fit and/or otherwise mounted to the lower section.  
         [0037]     A threaded component, termed a fitting receiver  42 , extends upward through an opening  43  in locking nut  41  and is permanently threaded to sleeve  38 . The locking nut  41  is free to rotate on fitting  42 .  
         [0038]     The hinge mounting plug  80  is fixedly attached to the tripod leg assembly as discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 7-8 . To mount the tripod section  36  to the shaft section  35 , locking nut  41  is screwed onto mounting plug  80 . The mounting disk is preferably configured to have a conically beveled or tapered surface  44  that is formed complementarily to surface  45  of fitting receiver  42 . This achieves a secure, centered mounting of the mounting disk  80  to fitting receiver  42 .  
         [0039]     The secure mounting of the tripod section to the shaft section creates the functional monopod or tripod arrangements shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The tapered threaded fitting between mounting plug  80  and fitting  42  provides a rigid joint that more evenly distributes forces from shaft  30  to tripod legs  51 - 53  and yet can be quickly disassembled for convenient storage.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIGS. 7-8 , cross-sectional views of joint  40  and tripod assembly  50  with the tripod legs in the expanded position and the retracted position in accordance with the present invention are respectively shown. The tripod assembly includes a mounting disk  90  to which the three tripod legs are attached as discussed below. Mounting disk  90  has a central opening  91  through which fastening member  94  is inserted. Fastening member  94  is fastened, by threading and/or glue or other appropriate means, to mounting plug  90  in a manner that fixedly couples the mounting disk to the mounting plug and holds the tripod legs securely, yet movably.  FIGS. 7-8  illustrate an embodiment in which fastening member  94  is threaded into a central opening  81  of mounting plug  80 .  
         [0041]     Each of the plurality of tripod legs  51 - 53  preferably has an extension member  54  and a coupling pin  55 . Each coupling pin preferably rests in a complementarily shaped recess formed in part as recess  82  of mounting plug  80  and a recess formed in the top of mounting disk  90 . When the mounting disk is fastened to the mounting plug, the coupling pins are securely held in their respective recesses.  
         [0042]     Extension members  54  may be longitudinally positioned within legs  51 - 53  for increased strength and stability. Each extension member  54  preferably includes an angled bearing face  57  that contacts a complementarily configured face  95  on mounting disk  90 . The angle at which these bearing faces contact one another may be any suitable load distributing angle, but is preferably between 5-70 degrees, and more preferably at approximately 45 degrees. The angled bearing surface serves to more effectively distribute the load placed on mounting disk  90  and mounting plug  80  during use.  
         [0043]     The tripod legs may extend any suitable distance laterally. In one embodiment, they extend between 30 and 50 degrees and, more preferably, to approximately 40 degrees.  
         [0044]     Mounting plug  80  is preferably configured with clearance  85  for each extension member to move. Extension member  54  contacts surface  59  and prevents the leg from swinging too far past vertical when retracting into the monopod or closed configuration.  
         [0045]     While several leg attachment schemes may be used without deviating from the present invention, in one embodiment tripod legs  51 - 53  each include an extension member  54  that supports a mounting pin  55 . Fastening member  94  couples the mounting disk to the mounting plug with the three pins  55  resting in their respective recesses in mounting disk  90 . As the fastening member  94  is tightened, the mounting pins are pushed upward and into contact with walls of the corresponding recesses in mounting plug  80 . Tightening the fastening mechanism further increases the compression force on mounting pins  55  and hence increases the friction on pins  55 , permitting a user to adjust how resistant the legs are to movement.  
         [0046]     Referring to  FIGS. 9-10 , an exploded perspective view and a side elevation view of adaptable movable mount  60  in accordance with the present invention are respectively shown.  FIG. 9  illustrates various components of mount  60  configured to mount to a camera (not shown) or other device having a standard or otherwise appropriate attachment mechanism. Body  61  is configured with positioning member  69  to define the socket  62  that holds ball  63 . Extender  66  protrudes from body  61  and couples to plate  67  in which magnet  68  is mounted. Security clip  75  may clip onto grooves  65  when not in use.  
         [0047]     A magnetically active disk  71  is preferably provided for releasable attachment to magnet  68 . Threaded member  73  is attached to disk  71  and permits releasable coupling of disk  71  into the threaded recess provided in most cameras, scopes and other items. A spacer washer  72  may be provided about threaded member  73  that is compliant to provide friction at the mount surface and suitably sized to act as a spacer for clip  75 .  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIGS. 11-12 , a perspective view of plate  67  and disk  71  in accordance with the present invention are respectively shown. Plate  67  may include a ring or other structure  97  that has a surface patterned with alternating protrusions and recesses. Disk  71  preferably has a complementarily shaped ring  98 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 11-12 , the ring pattern has a sinusoidal shape, though it should be recognized that any suitable complementary patterns that permits indexing is suitable and with the present invention.  
         [0049]     The complementary index pattern of plate  67  and disk  71  is provided for multiple reasons that include the following. When staff  10  is used with a camera, a user may wish to tilt the camera 90 degrees or so. If the camera has heavy lens, the weight of the lens may rotate the camera downward, i.e., the strength of the magnet alone may not be sufficient to hold the camera and lens in a fixed position. The index pattern provides sufficient resistance to hold a heavy camera and lens or spotting scope in a fixed position.  
         [0050]     In addition, the repeating pattern in the plate and disk permits a user to move a mounted camera (or other device) in fixed intervals. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 11-12 , the pattern repeats every 30 degrees, permitting a user  12  settings at which to position a mounted device.  
         [0051]     This indexed arrangement is also beneficial in permitting a photographer to take panorama or landscape photographs, for example, a user can mount a camera on the tripod and move and position it at regular intervals, enabling the photographer to take (or compile) a 360 degree wide angle composite photograph.  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIG. 13 , a perspective view of a camera being mounted to staff  10  via patterned plate  67  and disk  71  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The attraction between magnet  68  and disk  71  causes disk  71  to be seated into the complimentary pattern of plate  67 . The camera is held securely and, when tilted, in a manner that significantly impedes rotation of the camera.  
         [0053]     The components of the present invention may by made of any suitable material, either now known or invented or discovered in the future. In one embodiment, the shaft and legs may be are preferably formed of a lightweight metal such as aluminum alloy. The release joint assembly may be made of aluminum alloy with stainless steel pins, or otherwise configured including combined in a forged assembly. The extension members and pins may be formed of a harder metal or a hard plastic and the mounting disk and plate may similarly be made of metal, plastic or other materials that provide adequate strength, lightness and durability.  
         [0054]     While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.