Patent Publication Number: US-9409288-B1

Title: Awning extension adjustment device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This non-provisional application claims the priority of the provisional application 61/759,103 filed Jan. 31, 2013. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to hold tool devices and more particularly pertains to a new hold tool device for selectively loosening and tightening an adjustment knob of an awning extension assembly from an extended distance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a shaft and a hook coupled to the shaft extending from a first end of the shaft. An engagement member is coupled to a second end of the shaft. The engagement member has an outward face directed away from the shaft. Each of a plurality of protrusions extends from the outward face of the engagement member. The protrusions are arranged on the outward face of the engagement member wherein the protrusions engage an adjustment knob coupled to an extension arm of a frame of an extendable awning wherein rotation of the shaft and the engagement member rotates the adjustment knob. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top front side perspective view of a awning extension adjustment device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an inverted side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cut-away side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a partially exploded top front side view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new hold tool device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the awning extension adjustment device  10  generally comprises an elongated shaft  12  having a first end  14  and a second end  16 . A hook  18  is coupled to the shaft  12 . The hook  18  extends from the first end  14  of the shaft  12 . The hook  18  is configured for engaging a ring  20  used to extend an extendable awning  26 . The hook  18  is telescopically extendable from the first end  14  of the shaft  12 . The hook  18  has a substantially straight proximal section  28  relative to the shaft  12 . The proximal section  28  is slidable into the shaft  12  through an aperture  30  in the first end  14  of the shaft  12 . The hook  18  has a distal section  32  relative to the shaft  12 . The distal section  32  extends from the proximal section  28  of the hook  18 . The distal section  32  is oriented substantially transverse to the proximal section  28 . The distal section  32  of the hook  18  may be substantially straight. The distal section  32  may also include a bent end portion  34  distally positioned relative to the proximal section  28  of the hook  18  and extending back towards the first end  14  of the shaft  12 . Thus, the distal section  32  of the hook  18  is configured for facilitating retention of the loop  20  on the hook  18 . A protective cap  36  may be positioned on the bent end portion  34  of the distal section  32  of the hook  18 . The protective cap  36  may be constructed of rubber, plastic, or the like. The shaft  12  and hook  18  combined may have a length extendable from between 35 and 45 centimeters to between 50 to 70 centimeters. 
     A washer  70  complementary to an interior size of the shaft  12  may be coupled to the proximal section  28  of the hook  18  adjacent to an interiorly positioned end  72  of the proximal section  28  within the shaft  12 . The proximal section  28  may pass through a stop  74  positioned in the shaft  12  adjacent to the first end  14  of the shaft  12 . The proximal section  28  is slidable through the stop  74  until the washer  70  contacts the stop  74  preventing the hook  18  from being fully disengaged from the shaft  12 . The washer  70  may comprise a pair of stiff outer layers  76  sandwiching an interior layer  78  constructed of a soft material such as felt or the like to facilitate smooth extension of the hook  18  without undesirable sounds being produced by the washer  70  scraping on the shaft  12 . 
     A line  38  is coupled to and extends from the shaft  12 . The line is positioned proximate the first end  14  of the shaft  12 . The line  38  forms a loop  40  extendable outwardly from the first end  14  of the shaft  12  wherein the shaft  12  is hangable in a substantially vertical position from a connector extending from a recreational vehicle or other structure to which the extendable awning  26  is coupled. Thus, the device  10  may be easily stored near the potential site of use. 
     An engagement member  42  is coupled to the shaft  12 . The engagement member  42  is coupled to the second end  16  of the shaft  12 . The engagement member  42  has an outward face  44  directed away from the shaft  12 . The outward face  44  is substantially planar. The outward face  44  is substantially transverse to the shaft  12 . The engagement member has a plurality of flat surfaces  46  defining an outer perimeter wall  48  of the engagement member  42 . The outer perimeter wall  48  has a geometric cross-sectional shape  50  transverse to the shaft  12 . The outer perimeter wall  48  is outwardly spaced from an outer surface  52  of the shaft  12  wherein the flat surfaces  46  of the outer perimeter wall  48  of the engagement member  42  are configured to abut a vertical surface when the shaft  12  is hung from the connector coupled to the vertical surface. Thus, the outer perimeter wall  48  of the engagement member  42  inhibits movement of the shaft  12  relative to the vertical surface while one of the flat surfaces  46  abuts the vertical surface. The engagement member  42  may be attached to the shaft  12  by a pin  68  permitting the engagement member  42  to pivot relative to the second end  16  of the shaft  12  but rotating the engagement member  42  when the shaft  12  is rotated. The engagement member  42  may have a thickness between 3 and 6 centimeters. 
     Each of a plurality of protrusions  54  extends from the outward face  44  of the engagement member  42 . The protrusions  54  are radially arranged on the outward face  44  of the engagement member  42  wherein the protrusions  54  are configured to abut inwardly arced sections  56  of a perimeter edge  58  of an adjustment knob  60  coupled to an extension arm  60  of a frame  62  of the extendable awning  26  such that rotation of the shaft  12  and the engagement member  42  rotates the adjustment knob  60 . The plurality of protrusions  54  may be exactly five equally spaced protrusions  64  equidistant from a center  66  of the outward face  44  of the engagement member  42 . 
     In use, the hook  18  extendable from the first end  14  of the shaft  12  is used to engage the loop  20  to facilitate initial extension of the extendable awning  26 . The engagement member  42  is then abutted against the adjustment knob  60  and the shaft rotated to selectively loosen or tighten the adjustment knob  60  as needed to position and secure the extendable awning  26  in a desired position without undue reaching by the user. The device  10  is then stored by hanging from the loop  40 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.