Patent Publication Number: US-8973594-B2

Title: Tent peg

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to tent pegs. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     Tent pegs used for securing down a tent are commonly lost either in use or transport. After use, the tent pegs can be left in the ground due to being hard to locate among grass or other ground cover. For the tent pegs that are located and removed, the pegs are often simply placed in a pile while the tent is being dismantled. The pegs are then usually collected and placed in a bag for transport. This process can also result in the loss of tent pegs, which may not be noticed until next time the tent is to be used. 
     The present invention relates to tent pegs aimed at providing easier storage and transport and reducing the likelihood of the pegs being lost. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a tent peg comprising a shaft and a head, wherein the head comprises a body having an arm extending therefrom and the arm includes a first aperture adjacent the body and a second aperture located between the first aperture and a distal end of the arm such that the shaft of a first further tent peg is receivable in the first aperture of the tent peg in an opposite orientation, the shaft of a second further tent peg is receivable in the second aperture in the same orientation as the tent peg and wherein the shaft of the second further tent peg is receivable in the first aperture of the first further tent peg. 
     Preferably, the second aperture comprises an elongate aperture for receiving the shafts of two further tent pegs such that the shaft of a third further tent peg is receivable through the second aperture in an opposite orientation to the tent peg and also through the second aperture of the first further tent peg and the first aperture of the second further tent peg. 
     Preferably the arm extends generally radially from the cylindrical body and includes a first portion extending from the body generally perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis of the shaft and a second portion extending at an angle to the first portion, the second portion being angled towards the second end of the shaft. 
     Preferably the first portion includes the first aperture and the second portion includes the second aperture. 
     In one embodiment, the body comprises a cylindrical body having a longitudinal aperture therein for receiving the shaft and the shaft includes a widened end portion received and secured in use within the cylindrical body. 
     The body preferably includes a narrowed neck portion such that the shaft can slide through aperture but the neck portion restricts passage of the widened end of the shaft. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the top of the widened end protrudes above the body of the head such that the top may be struck by a tool for driving the tent peg into the ground. 
     The head is preferably constructed of a plastic material and the shaft is preferably constructed of metal. 
     Preferably the head is constructed of a brightly coloured material and/or a material that glows in the dark. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tent peg in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the tent peg of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3   a  is a side cross sectional view of the tent peg of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3   b  is a front view of the tent peg of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4   a  is a top view of the tent peg of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4   b  is a side view of the tent peg of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4   c  is an upper perspective view of the tent peg of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a plurality of the tent pegs of  FIG. 1  interconnected; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing installation of one of the tent pegs of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing removal of one of the tent pegs of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the Figures, there is shown a tent peg  10  comprising a shaft  12  and a head  14 . In the embodiment shown, the shaft  12  and the head  14  are separate components connectable together to form the tent peg  10 . It will be appreciated however that the shaft  12  and head  14  may be integrally formed. 
     The shaft  12  comprises an elongate spike of suitable material, such as metal. The shaft  12  includes a widened end  16  at a first end thereof and a tapered portion  18  at a second end. The tapered portion  18  is provided for being driven into the ground. 
     The head  14  includes a body  20  having a longitudinal aperture  22  therein. In the embodiment shown, the body  20  comprises a cylindrical body. The longitudinal aperture  22  is provided for receiving the shaft  12 . The shaft  12  is inserted into the aperture  22  with the second end first. The body  20  includes a narrowed neck portion  24  such that the shaft  12  can slide through aperture  22  but the neck portion  24  restricts passage of the widened end  16  of the shaft  12 . The widened end  16  of the shaft  12  is therefore retained within the body  12  adjacent a first end thereof. 
     The widened end  16  of the shaft  12  is accessible through the first end of the body  12  such that the widened end  16  can be struck with a suitable implement, such as a hammer, in order to drive the tent peg  10  into the ground. That is, the top of the widened end  16  protrudes above the body  20  of the head  14 . As the impact is taken by the widened end  16  of the shaft  12 , the head  14  may be constructed of a material of lesser strength, such as plastic. The head  14  is preferably constructed of a brightly coloured plastic to make the tent pegs  10  easier to see when in the ground. The head  14  may also be constructed of a material that glows in the dark. 
     The head  14  includes an arm  26  extending outwardly therefrom. The arm  26  in the embodiment shown extends outwardly from the head  24  between a second end of the body  20  and the neck portion  24 . The arm  26  extends generally radially from the cylindrical body  20 . 
     The arm  26  comprises a first portion  28  and a second portion  30 . The first portion  28  extends from the body  20  generally perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis of the shaft  12 . The second portion  30  extends at an angle to the first portion  28 , being angled towards the second end of the shaft  12 . In use, the arm  26  traps a rope secured around the tent peg  10  between the arm  26  and the ground in a known manner. 
     The arm  26  includes at least one aperture for receiving the shaft of a further tent peg  10  such that a plurality of tent pegs  10  can be secured together when not in use. 
     The arm  26  of the tent peg  10  includes a first aperture  32  provided in the first portion  28  of the arm  26  adjacent the body  20 . The first aperture  32  is provided for receiving the second end of a first further tent peg  10 ′. The second end of the first further tent peg  10 ′ is inserted into the first aperture  32  from a side adjacent the second end of the body  20  such that the head  14  of the first further tent peg  10 ′ is located adjacent the second end  18  of the shaft  14 . That is, the first further tent peg  10 ′ is arranged in the opposite direction. 
     The arm  26  includes also a second aperture  34  in the second portion  18  thereof. The second aperture  34  is provided between the first aperture  32  and the distal end of the arm  26 . The second aperture  34  comprises an elongate aperture such that the shafts  12  of two further tent pegs can be received in the second aperture  34 . 
     As described above, a first further tent peg  10 ′ is received in the first aperture  32  oriented in the opposite direction. A second further tent peg  10 ″ is then oriented in the same direction as the initial tent peg  10  and the shaft  12  thereof inserted through the second aperture  34 . The shaft  12  of the second further tent peg  10 ″ is also received through the first aperture  32  of the first further tent peg  10 ′. An end of the cylindrical body  20  of the head  14  is provided with a tapered side  21  (as can be seen in  FIG. 2 ). The tapered side  21  is provided at an angle being the same as that of the second portion  30  of the arm  26  such that the tapered side  21  rests flat against the arm  26 . 
     A third further tent peg  10 ′″ is then oriented in the same direction as the first further tent peg  10 ′ and inserted through the second aperture  34  of the first further tent peg  10 ′. The shaft  12  of the third further tent peg  10 ′″ is also received in the second aperture  34  of the initial tent peg  10  and the first aperture  32  of the second further tent peg  10 ″. 
     In this way, a plurality of tent pegs  10  can be interconnected (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) with each tent peg  10  in the opposite orientation to the adjacent tent pegs  10 . The arm  26  of each of the tent pegs  10  receives the shafts  12  of three further tent pegs  10 . The interlocking of multiple further tent pegs  10  into the arm  26  of each tent peg  10  creates a single planar row of interconnected tent pegs  10  that form a relatively rigid structure. 
     In use, the tent pegs  10  can be inserted into the ground and used in the normal manner of tent pegs (as shown in  FIG. 6 ). Each tent peg  10  may be removed by grasping the head  14  of the tent peg  10  and pulling it from the ground (as shown in  FIG. 7 ). The brightly coloured or glowing heads  14  will aid the ability to locate each of the tent pegs  10 . 
     Each time a tent peg  10  is removed it may be interconnected to the previously removed tent pegs  10  as described above. In this way, the tent pegs  10  are retained together in a single structure, reducing the likelihood of the tent pegs  10  becoming lost. 
     It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.