Patent Publication Number: US-7909310-B2

Title: Portable barrier apparatus

Description:
This Application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/003,779, filed Nov. 19, 2007. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to portable barrier apparatus employed to fence or block off an area. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Portable barrier systems including a post or stake for insertion in or placement on the ground or other surface and a reel containing a tape or cord which is selectively extended to block off an area or retract it are generally known. Examples of prior art arrangements of this type are shown in the following Patent documents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,496, issued Jul. 22, 2003, U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2003/0222253, pub. Dec. 4, 2003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,137, issued Jan. 16, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,420, issued Jul. 4, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,597, issued Mar. 2, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,164, issued Apr. 23, 2002, U.S. Patent Application Pub. US 2006/0113514, pub. Jun. 1, 2006, U.S. Patent Application Pub. US 2005/0191107, pub. Sep. 1, 2005, U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,348, issued Nov. 23, 1948, U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,236, issued Dec. 14, 2004, U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,429, issued Mar. 26, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,050, issued Nov. 29, 2005, U.S. Design Pat. No. D415,729, issued Oct. 26, 1999 and UK Patent Application GB 2 376 247, pub. Dec. 11, 2002. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The apparatus of the present invention includes post and reel components as well as other cooperative structural components which add to the versatility and ease of use of the device. The invention disclosed herein is also characterized by its relatively low cost and simplicity as compared to prior art approaches. 
     The portable barrier apparatus includes a foot stake having a foot stake upper portion and a foot stake lower portion projecting downwardly from said foot stake upper portion, said foot stake lower portion including at least one stake member having a distal end spaced from said foot stake upper portion. The foot stake upper portion has a foot engagement top surface for engagement by the foot of an individual to force the at least one stake member into the ground and a ground engagement bottom surface for engaging the ground to limit downward movement of the foot stake relative to the ground. 
     A post is connected to the foot stake upper portion and extends upwardly therefrom. A reel head is supported by the post and contains a banner tape in wound condition. The banner tape has a lead end projecting from an opening in the reel head enabling the banner tape to be unwound and pulled from the reel head through the opening. 
     The reel head is selectively releasably connected to the post and is one of a plurality of reel heads, the banner tape contained in each of the plurality of reel heads displaying a message differing from messages displayed by the barrier tapes of the other of the plurality of reel heads. 
     The portable barrier apparatus additionally includes a support base positionable on the ground or other surface for releasable connection to the foot stake lower portion to support the foot stake lower portion above the ground or other surface and maintain the post in a stable, substantially upright condition. 
     Other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of assembled structural components of apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, exploded view illustrating the post, reel head and support base of the apparatus separated; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged, perspective, exploded view showing selected components of the apparatus, including a partially extended banner tape and reel head; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged, perspective cross-sectional view illustrating selected components of the apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1  in assembled condition; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , but illustrating a support base with the foot stake of the apparatus inserted into a depression formed by the support base; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, perspective view illustrating the foot stake of  FIG. 5  prior to insertion into the support base; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged, perspective view illustrating an alternative form of foot stake; and 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , but illustrating an alternative form of head disposed on the post. 
     
    
    
     MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-6 , portable barrier apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention includes a post including a bottom post section  10  and a top post section  12 . The bottom post section telescopically receives the top post section. 
     A friction stop mechanism of any suitable type such as friction grip stop  14  may be utilized to selectively alternatively tighten or loosen the connection between the post sections to provide for height adjustment and selectively maintain the post at a desired length. 
     Positioned at the upper or distal end of top post section  12  is a tape recoil mechanism in the form of a reel head including a housing  16  which accommodates a barrier tape or banner  18  in wound condition on a rotatable spool or reel  20 . Mechanism including a rewind tension spring  22  within the housing continuously biases the reel  20  to maintain the barrier tape in a wound condition; however, the tape may be pulled and extended to a desired length merely by overcoming the spring bias of the rewind structure in the reel head. Such rewind structures per se are well known and need not be described in detail. 
     In the arrangement illustrated, both the reel head housing  16  and the reel  20  are rotatably mounted on a spindle  24  extending downwardly through the housing  16 , through the spool  20 , and through the coiled spring  22  into a recess  26  formed by a divider wall  28  at the top of a downwardly extending coupler  30  of the reel head employed to support the reel head and connect the reel head to the top post section  12 . The coupler may be loosely fit onto the post and rotatable relative thereto or releasably, rotatably secured thereto in some other manner. 
     The housing  16  defines an opening or slot  30  through which the banner tape extends. A connector  32  is attached to the banner tape end which is utilized to secure the tape in extended position when attached to the housing of another reel head or some other structure. In the present instance, housing  16  of the illustrated reel head has three projections  34 , any of which can be used to attach the end of a banner tape projecting from another portable barrier apparatus (not shown) of like construction.  FIG. 8  shows an alternative head  36  which may be used to establish connection with one or more connectors  32 . Head  36  is dedicated to performing such function, having four projections  34 , but not accommodating a banner tape. 
     An important novel aspect of the present invention is the fact that the reel head with barrier tape may be readily removed as a unit from the top post section and replaced with another reel head of like construction and having a tape with a different message suitable for a different use. For example, the illustrated tape displays a “CAUTION” warning. A banner tape of another head may for example have different indicia thereon. For example, rather than a caution warning, the tape may display a phrase such as “Let It Grow” for garden or lawn applications or “Party On” to block off a party area, or a tape may bear no indicia at all. The telescoping height adjustability feature of the post allows adjustment of the height of the displayed tape or banner. 
     The apparatus includes a foot stake  40  attached to and extending from the lower end of bottom post section  10 . An upper portion  42  of the foot stake is inserted into the open lower end of the bottom post section until the bottom post section engages a foot engagement top surface  44  of foot stake upper portion  42  Which projects laterally outwardly as shown. 
     The foot stake  40  also includes a foot stake lower portion  48  which comprises two downwardly projecting, spaced stake members  50  having pointed distal ends. In the embodiment illustrated, each stake member  50  has four ribs  52  and a generally tapered, cruciform configuration. The stake members  50  project downwardly from a ground engaging bottom surface  54  of the foot stake upper portion  44 . 
     When a user wishes to install the device in the ground, the post is manually oriented vertically and foot pressure is applied to the foot engagement top surface  44  to sink the stake members of the foot stake lower portion into the ground. Ribs  52  provide strength to the foot stake and prevent turning of the foot stake in the ground, thus providing a stable installation. Triangular shaped reinforcement panels  58  extend between ground engaging bottom surface  54  and a rib  52  of each stake member to provide additional strength. 
     Another structural element of the device is a support base  60  ( FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  8 ) which allows installation of the post wholly above ground. Base  60  is suitably formed of any suitable material, such as molded plastic or metal. The upper end  62  of the base defines depressions or holes  64  (see  FIG. 6 ) configured in the shape of bottom portion  32 . More specifically, each hole  64  conforms to the shape of a stake member  50  with the support base forming the holes frictionally engaging the stake members. In addition, stabilizer slots  66  defined by upper end  62  communicate with the holes and receive reinforcement panels  58  when the stake members are seated in place. The foot stake and post thus are maintained in a stable, upright condition. When the support base is not being used, it can be stored until use is once again desired. 
       FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the foot stake lower portion  70  has three spaced, tapered stake members  72  having distal ends. Also, this embodiment includes three reinforcement panels  74 . The support base (not shown) used with this foot stake configuration of course would have three, rather than two, depressions or holes and three stabilizer slots for receiving the stake members.