Abstract:
A single support stake surfboard support for elevating surfboards above a sandy beach. An elongated, hollow support stake, typically having a diagonal cut at its distal end to facilitate pressing the support stake into sand or other terrain. A T-support arm is removably, frictionally attached to a proximal end of the hollow support stake. In a first embodiment, cylindrical polymer cushions are disposed along the T-support arm. In the first embodiment, one or more surfboards may be laid flat across the pair of supports. In a second embodiment, at least two upwardly projecting members are attached to the distal and proximal ends of the T-support arm. Each of the upwardly projecting members may also have one or more cylindrical polymer cushions thereupon. In the second embodiment, up to four surfboards may be accommodated on edge between the upwardly projecting members.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention pertains to racks for elongated objects and, more particularly, to portable, single-stake, collapsible racks for surfboards and the like for supporting such objects above sand. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Surf boarding has become an extremely popular sport. As is true in many other sports, surfboards have become increasingly refined and often very expensive. Most surfers (i.e., surfboarders) are close to fanatical in protecting their surfboards. As surfing usually takes place by an ocean shore, protection is often needed from a sand or pebble beach. 
         [0003]    Surfers discover there is rarely a place to rest their board when they are not surfing. No surfer would chose to put his or her surfboard on the sand because there is a high probability that sand will stick to the waxed surface(s) of the surfboard. Once this occurs, the only way to remove the sand is to de-wax and then re-wax the surfboard, both time consuming processes. Sand on a waxed surfboard may cause a rash or even cuts on the surfer&#39;s body when surfing. In addition the strength of the wax may be reduced. 
         [0004]    In addition, placing a surfboard on the sand increases the probability of the surfboard being stepped or sat on. This may cause a variety of damage to the surfboard itself or its fin(s). All surfers go to great extremes to protect their surfboards from sand or physical damage. They may lay their surfboard across a trash container, across beach chairs, propped up against the back of a beach chair. Using a trash container is typically unsanitary for the surfer and inconvenient for other persons on the beach. Using beach chairs makes those chairs unavailable to other people for use as chairs. Chairs may also damage the surfboard or, potentially injure someone who attempts to sit in a chair supporting a surfboard. Using other improvised storage solutions may result in a surfboard being moved by someone other than the surfer, often resulting in damage to the surfboard. 
         [0005]    It would, therefore, be advantageous to provide a light-weight, portable support for one or more surfboards that may be used in sand or on other such terrains. 
       DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0006]    Several attempts to provide supports to keep surfboards above a sandy beach may be found in the prior art. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,354 for WATER SKI RACK issued Sep. 8, 1970 to Norton D. Sokolow discloses a two legged water ski rack adapted for hanging over the gunwale of a boat. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,123 for SPORTING GOODS RACK issued Jan. 21, 1992 to Rocky D. Lamb teaches a wall-mounted sporting goods rack. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,155 for SKI RACK issued May 31, 1994 to Anthony P. Collins, et al. shows a ski rack which includes a frame from which extends a ski retaining section, the ski retaining section being dimensioned and adapted to support a set of skis by a binding of the skis. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,996 for ADJUSTABLE TARGET STAND issued Feb. 4, 1997 to Scott A. Rath shows stand for a large target with a pair of inwardly angled legs. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,309 for SPORTING EQUIPMENT HAMMOCK issued May 21, 2002 to Timothy R. Tucker discloses an apparatus for holding sporting equipment. The rack includes a pair of U-shaped arms spaced apart from one another and in a generally equivalent horizontal position. At least one flexible longitudinal support is suspended between the arms and at least one flexible lateral support is suspended between opposing ends of each arm so that lateral and longitudinal supports, in combination, support the sporting equipment thereon without contacting the arms. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,619 for TRUCK BED MOUNTED SURFBOARD STORAGE RACK issued Oct. 1, 2002 to Michael P. Werner, et al. teaches a truck bed mounted surfboard storage rack which aids in the storage and transportation of surfboards via pickup trucks and vans. Two fold up arms have three slots in each one, with each slot being padded with a weatherproof foam material. When extended in the up position, the slots allow up to three surfboards to be stored in a horizontal position on their long edge. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,991 for FISHING POLE HOLDER issued Jan. 20, 2004 to Cecil D. Hooks, et al. provides a portable fishing pole holder and carrier with a tubular metal frame. A row of posts projects out-of-plane at each end of the frame for cradling one or more fishing poles, which are held in place by elastic cords. Support members depending from the frame hold the frame above a surface or adjacent to it for compact hand carrying. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,002,126 and 8,157,110, both for PORTABLE SURF BOARD RACK AND HOLDER issued Aug. 23, 2011, and Apr. 17, 2012, respectively to Jerry Drum teaches an apparatus for supporting and holding items including surfboards, fishing rods, beach items and tabletops in horizontal positions raised above ground surfaces such as at the beach, and be easily transported, assembled, and disassembled when not being used. The racks can include a pair of horizontal beams. Each of the beams can have typically two legs pivotally attached to ends of each beam. The legs can have storage positions with the legs folded up and parallel to the beams, and extended positions with the legs perpendicular to the beams and having lower ends staked into the ground. The rack can support tabletops and surfboards in horizontal flat positions on top of the assembled horizontal beams. Fishing rods can be stored in horizontal positions in cradle shaped concave recesses so that the fishing rods can be between the surfboards/table tops and the horizontal beams. A storage bag can be used to carry and transport a folded tabletop and folded legs and beams. 
         [0014]    Published United States Patent Application No. 2003/0178382 for SPORTING EQUIPMENT SUPPORT SYSTEM published Sep. 25, 2003 upon application by Timothy R. Tucker discloses an apparatus for holding sporting equipment. The apparatus includes a pair of J-shaped or I-shaped tubular arms spaced apart from one another and in a generally equivalent horizontal position. At least one flexible support is suspended between the opposing ends of each tubular arm so that lateral supports, in combination, support the sporting equipment thereon without the equipment contacting the arms. 
         [0015]    None of the patents and published patent application, taken singly, or in any combination are seen to teach or suggest the PORTABLE, SINGLE SUPPORT STAKE RACK FOR SURFBOARDS AND THE LIKE of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    In accordance with the present invention there is provided a support system for elevating surfboards above a sandy beach. Each support system uses two supports. Each support has a single elongated, hollow support stake. The support stake has a diagonal cut at its distal end to facilitate pressing or pounding the support stake into sand. Sand is forced into the interior of the support stake thereby contributing to the rigidity of the support stake. The use of a single support stake provides ease of adjustability of each of the pair of supports to maintain a support surface parallel to the terrain. Further, the combination of a single support stake and a T-support arm allows one-handed insertion of the stake into the sand, etc. by a user, while supporting his/her surfboard. A single support stake is further advantageous on rocky or otherwise uneven terrain where inserting a single stake may be considerably easier than inserting two or more stakes into that terrain. 
         [0017]    A T-support arm is removably, frictionally attached to a proximal end of the support stake. In a first embodiment, cylindrical polymer foam cushions are disposed along the T-support arm. In this embodiment, one or more surfboards may be laid flat across the pair of supports. 
         [0018]    In a second embodiment, the upwardly projecting members are attached to the t-support arm. Each of the upwardly projecting members may also have cylindrical foam cushions. In this embodiment, up to four surfboards may be accommodated on edge between the upwardly projecting members. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational, schematic view of a first embodiment of a single support stake surfboard support in accordance with the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational, schematic view of the single support stake surfboard support of  FIG. 1  further showing a strap; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3A  is a side elevational, schematic view of the single support stake surfboard support of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a disassembled state and compacted into a bundle; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3B  is a top, perspective view of the bundle of  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is side perspective, schematic view of the pair of single support stake surfboard supports of  FIGS. 1 and 2  supporting a surfboard thereupon; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective, schematic view of a single support stake surfboard support of  FIGS. 1 and 2  supporting a surfboard thereagainst; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational, schematic view of a second embodiment of a single support stake surfboard support in accordance with the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a perspective, schematic view of the dissembled components of the pair of the single support stake surfboard supports of  FIG. 6  with a storage/carrying bag; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a perspective, schematic view of a pair of single support stake surf board supports of  FIG. 6  with a pair of surf boards disposed on edge thereupon. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0029]    The present invention provides a single support stake system for elongated objects, especially surfboards, adapted for beach use in sand or the like. The single support stake supports keep one or more surfboards supported above the surface of the sand and stable enough to avoid the effects of wind on the surface of the surfboard. 
         [0030]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a side elevational, schematic view of a single support stake surfboard support in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, generally at reference number  100   a.    
         [0031]    A support stake  102  is a hollow tube, typically formed from furniture grade plastic (typically PVC) and having a distal end  104 . Distal end  104  is cut to an approximately 60° angle to form a “pointed” end  106 . Pointed end  106  facilitates pushing distal end  104  of support stake  102  into the sand. It will be recognized that angles other than 60° may be chosen to accommodate a particular operating environment or circumstance and the invention is not considered limited to the 60° angle chosen for purposes of disclosure. 
         [0032]    The use of furniture grade plastic rather than metal (e.g., aluminum) provides a material that is softer and less likely scratch or “ding” the delicate surface of a surfboard. 
         [0033]    As support stake  102  is pushed downward into sand, sand is pushed into the hollow center of support stake  102 . Sand within support stake  102 , not specifically identified, acts cooperatively with support stake  102  to provide structural rigidity to support stake  102  and subsequentially, to single support stake surfboard support  100   a.    
         [0034]    A T-support arm  110 , also typically formed from hollow furniture grade plastic has a socket tee pipe fitting  112  F(s) disposed at a midpoint along a major axis of T-support arm  110 , thereby substantially bisecting T-support arm  110  into portions  110   a ,  110   b . Socket tee pipe fitting  112  has an opening, not specifically identified, at right angles to a major axis of T-support arm  110  that is sized to accept and frictionally secure a proximal end  108  of support stake  102  therein. Portions of bisected T-support arm  110  are typically chemically bonded to respective side openings of socket tee pipe fitting  112 . Solvent bonding of PVC and similar plastics is believed to be well known to those of skill in the art. Consequently, chemical (i.e., solvent) bonding is not further discussed herein. 
         [0035]    A cap  114  is attached to each end  116   a ,  116   b  of T-support arm  110 . Caps  114  keep sand and other debris out of the hollow interior, not specifically identified, of T-support arm  110  as well as providing a smooth, finished edge to ends  116   a ,  116   b.    
         [0036]    Cylindrical polymer pads  118  are disposed along T-support arm  110 , typically spaced apart from one another. Polymer pads  118  provide a relatively soft structure upon which the surfboard rests and provide additional protection thereto. Cylindrical polymer pads  118  are typically formed from a foamed nirtil butadiene rubber/PVC material that will not crush under the weight of a surfboard resting upon them. Cylindrical polymer pads  118  optionally have a plurality of grooves  136  to allow drainage of water and to prevent sand settling on the T-support arm  110  of other support components. In the embodiment chosen for purposes of disclosure, two grooves  136  are shown in each cylindrical polymer pads  118 . This configuration provides clarity in the figures. It will be recognized that each cylindrical polymer pad  118  typically has more than two grooves  136 . Also, in the embodiment chosen for purposes of disclosure, cylindrical foam pads  118  are one piece structures manufactured with an inner cylindrical core with additional spaced apart rings formed on the outer surface of the inner core. It will be recognized by those of skill in the art that alternate suitable materials and/or manufacturing methods may be substituted for the foamed nirtil butadiene rubber/PVC chosen for purposes of disclosure. Consequently, the invention is not considered limited to the foamed nitrile butadiene rubber/PVC r chosen for purposes of disclosure. Rather, the invention is intended to include any and all suitable substitute materials and/or manufacturing methods. 
         [0037]    In the embodiment chosen for purposes of disclosure cylindrical polymer pads  118  are optionally two-color structures: the inner core is blue and the outer spaced apart rings are black. It will be further recognized by those of skill in the art cylindrical polymer pads  118  may be either a single solid color or that other color combinations may be chosen. 
         [0038]    Referring now also to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a side elevational, schematic view of the single support stake surfboard support of  FIG. 1  further showing a strap, generally at reference number  100   b . The only difference between surfboard support  100   a  of  FIGS. 1 and 100   b  is that the surfboard support  100   b  includes at least one wrapping strap  120 . 
         [0039]    Straps  120  are affixed to T-support arms  110 , typically with a single screw  126  placed through the web material of strap  120  and into the hollow plastic tube forming T-support arm  110 . Optionally, straps  120  may be provided as stand-alone objects (i.e., not attached to support arm  110 ). They may still be carried along with single support stake surfboard support stands  100   a ,  110   b  and, when necessary, used to bundle the components thereof. 
         [0040]    Straps  120  each have a buckle  122  affixed to a proximal end, not specifically identified. 
         [0041]    Distal ends  124  of straps  120  are tapered to form a tongue  130  to facilitate their insertion into respective buckle  122 . 
         [0042]    Straps  120  each have a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastening system  128  on a rear surface thereof. Tongue  130  has a hook portion  134  of the hook-and-loop fastening system disposed on an upper surface thereof. 
         [0043]    Referring now also to  FIG. 3A , there is shown a side elevational view of a pair of single support stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b  in a disassembled state and bundled together. A pair of support stakes  102  is laid parallel to a pair of T-support arms  110 . Strap(s)  120  are used to secure the assembly for storing or transporting. Alternately, the pair of single stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b  may be carried in a carrying bag similar to carrying bag  210  best seen in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 3B  is a top perspective, schematic view of the bundled supports  110   a ,  100   b  as seen in  FIG. 3A . 
         [0045]    Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a side perspective, schematic view of a pair of single support stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b , typically spaced apart from one another with T-support arms  110  each substantially parallel to one another. The distance between the pair of single support stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b  is determined by the length of the surfboard  150   a  that is to be supported thereupon. It will be recognized that the surfboard  150   a  illustrated in  FIG. 4  forms no part of the present invention and merely illustrates the intended operation of single support stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b.    
         [0046]    In use, support stake  102  is inserted into socket tee pipe fittings  112  of respective T-support arms  110   a ,  100   b.    
         [0047]    Support stake  102  of each of single support stake surfboard support  100   a ,  100   b  is pressed or driven into the sand with T-support arms  110  of each aligned substantially parallel to one another. 
         [0048]    Once aligned and, if necessary, adjusted in height to present a level surface for a surfboard  150   a  to be received and retained upon, the surfboard  150   a  is laid across T-support arms  110  protected by cylindrical polymer pads  118 . 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is a side perspective, schematic view of a single support stake surfboard support  100  with a surfboard  150   a  leaning thereagainst. This illustrates another configuration in which the novel single support stake surfboard support in accordance with the invention may be utilized. 
         [0050]    Referring now also to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a front elevational, schematic view of a second embodiment of a single support stake surfboard support of the invention, generally at reference number  200 . 
         [0051]    Single support stake surfboard support  200  shares many common features and components with single support stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b.    
         [0052]    Single support stake surfboard support  200  uses the same hollow support stake  102  and T-support arm  110 . However, socket tee pipe fitting  112  is replaced with a “star” pipe fitting  202 . Star pipe fitting  202  is somewhat like socket tee pipe fitting  112  except it has an additional connection point aligned with the connection point in socket tee pipe fitting  112  that accepts proximal end  108  of hollow support stake  102 . 
         [0053]    Caps  114  at ends  116   a ,  116   b  of T-support arm  110  of single support stake surfboard support  100  are replaced with elbow pipe fittings  204 . A pair of short upstanding members  206  is connected to upfacing openings in elbow pipe fittings  204 . The distal ends, not specifically identified, of respective short upstanding members  206  are terminated with a cap  114 . 
         [0054]    A longer, central upstanding member  208  is connected to the upfacing opening in star pipe fitting  202 . A distal end of central upstanding member  208 , not specifically identified, is also terminated with a cap  114 . 
         [0055]    Unlike single support stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b , single support stake surfboard support  200  is not intended for bundling. Consequently, both of a set of single support stake surfboard supports  200  are identical (i.e., no straps  120  are provided on either of single support stake surfboard supports  200 ). 
         [0056]    Rather than being bundled for storage or transport, the component members of single support stake surfboard supports  200  are adapted for disassembly and packing in a carrying bag  210 . Referring now also to  FIG. 7 , there is shown the dissembled components of a pair of single support stake surfboard supports  200  with a storage/carrying bag  210 . 
         [0057]    While single support stake surfboard supports  100   a ,  100   b  of the first embodiment of the present invention are designed and adapted to support no more than two surfboards, the single support stake surfboard supports of the second embodiment are designed and adapted to support up to four surfboards. 
         [0058]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , there is shown a side perspective, schematic view of a pair of single support stake surfboard supports  200  with a pair of surf boards  150   a ,  150   b  disposed on edge thereupon. It will again be recognized that the surfboard(s)  150   a ,  150   b  disposed on single support stake surfboard supports  200  form no part of the present invention. 
         [0059]    Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention. 
         [0060]    Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.