Abstract:
An agility pole or a passing arc includes one or more receptacles adjacent to a first end of a tube. A spike assembly has one or more fittings, and a spike attached to a holder adapted to slide into the first end of the tube, in a spike-in position wherein the spike is within the tube, and in a spike-out position wherein the spike is substantially outside of the tube. The fittings engage the receptacles in the spike-in position and in the spike-out position. The agility pole or passing arc may be transported and stored in the spike-in position so that injury or damage from the spike is avoided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Agility poles generally have a spike at the bottom end of a pole. Agility poles are typically set up in a pattern on a practice field, with the spike of each pole pressed into the ground to secure the pole in place. Depending on the sport and practice exercise, the agility poles may be arranged in a zig-zag pattern, a slalom pattern, or other pattern that the player runs through. These exercises train the player to make quick changes in direction, while maintaining appropriate body positions. 
         [0002]    Spikes on an agility pole anchor the pole into the ground, so that the agility pole remains upright and in place. In most uses the spike also allows the agility pole to deflect somewhat if a player collides with the agility pole. However, spikes have several drawbacks. During transportation and storage of the agility poles, the pointed ends of spikes can present a hazard to people, or damage the interior of a vehicle, or a storage space. The pointed ends may also tend to pierce through a carrying bag. Dirt or mud remaining on the spikes after using the poles may also soil the carrying bag, vehicle or storage space. Accordingly, improved agility poles are needed. 
         [0003]    Passing arcs are used primarily in soccer practice to improve passing accuracy and ball control. Typically a pattern of passing arcs is set up on a field to provide a designated ball target or trajectory, and the player dribbles the ball through the arcs. Generally, passing arcs have been provided as a U-shaped or C-shaped tube, with a spike at each free end of the tube, to secure the passing arc in place on the field. As a result, the spikes used in passing arcs involve the same drawbacks as discussed above relative to agility poles. Hence, improved passing arcs are needed as well. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    An agility pole or a passing arc includes one or more receptacles adjacent to a first end of a tube. A spike assembly has one or more fittings, and a spike attached to a holder adapted to slide into the first end of the tube, in a spike-in position wherein the spike is within the tube, and in a spike-out position wherein the spike is substantially outside of the tube. The fittings engage the receptacle in the spike-in position and in the spike-out position. The agility pole or passing arc may be transported and stored in the spike-in position so that injury or damage from the spike is avoided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an agility pole in a spike-in position. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the agility pole of  FIG. 1  in a spike-out position. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the lower end of the agility pole as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view of the lower end of the agility pole as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the upper end of the agility pole of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a section view of the lower end of the agility pole as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the lower end of the agility pole as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a passing arc in a spike-out position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the passing arc of  FIG. 8  in a spike-in position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of either end of the passing arc as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of either end of the passing arc in the spike-out position, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of either end of the passing arc in the spike-in position, as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 13  is a section view of either end of the passing arc in the spike-in position, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 12 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 14  is a section view of the agility pole of  FIG. 1  inserted into a base. 
           [0019]      FIG. 15  is a side perspective view of the agility pole as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 16  is a top perspective view of the agility pole as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the passing arc as shown in  FIG. 9  with each end of the arc inserted into a base. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an agility pole  20  may have a first or lower section  22 , a second section  24  telescopically attached to the first section  22 , and a third section  26  telescopically attached to the second section  24 . A cap  28  is optionally attached to the top of the agility pole  20 . Each section may be provided as a hollow tube, typically made of plastic or metal. The tube may be round or have various polygonal shapes, with rectangular or square tubes often selected. Some versions of the agility pole  20  may have only a first section  22 , while others may two sections or four sections. Each section generally has a length of about 30-60 cm. In the example shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each section is about 50 long, with the pole having a total length when fully telescopically extended of about 135 cm. 
         [0023]    Turning to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a spike assembly  30  has a spike  32  attached to a holder  34  via screw threads, adhesives, molding, etc.. The spike  32  may be a metal, such as steel and the holder  34  may be plastic. Alternatively, both may be plastic or metal, with the spike integrally formed as part of the holder  34 . The spike  32  may have a pointed end to better penetrate into the ground without using excessive force. The holder  34  has one or more fittings shown generally at  35  in  FIG. 3 , which may be provided in the form of a button  38  on a resilient arm  36 . The fitting  35  is designed to engage a receptacle  40  at the lower end of the first tube  22 , with the receptacle shown as a hole in the tube  22 . Pairs of fittings  35  and receptacles  40  may be provided on opposite sides of the holder  34  and the tube  22 , respectively. If the holder itself is sufficiently resilient, the arm  36  may be omitted, with the button or other projection on a section of the holder  34  that allows the projection to be deflected inward. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the spike assembly  30  may be inserted into the open lower end of the tube  22  with the spike  32  projecting out, in a spike-out position. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the spike assembly  30  may also be inserted into the open lower end of the tube  22  in the reverse orientation, with the spike entirely within the tube, in a spike-in position. The holder  34  may have a size and shape to allow it to slide into the tube with minimal clearance, to allow minimal movement between them in both of the spike-in and spike-out positions. 
         [0025]    Referring still to  FIG. 6 , a groove  44  may be provided in one or more side walls of the holder  34 , with a complimentary key  46  in the tube  22 . The groove  44  and key  46  may help to secure the tube  22  and the spike assembly  30  together. The groove and key  46 , if used, may also provide an alignment feature which allows the holder  34  to slide into the tube  22  only if the fittings  35  on the holder  34  are properly oriented to engage the receptacles  40  in the tube  22 . Designs using a rectangular tube are self-aligning and largely preclude rotation of the spike assembly within the tube. In designs using a round tube, the key and slot may avoid the need to turn the spike assembly within the tube to align the fittings. Of course the positions of the groove  44  and the key  46  may be reversed. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the lower end of the tube  22  may optionally have a recess or radius  48  to provide an additional visual alignment indicator, and/or to reduce stress on the button if the user tries to insert the spike assembly without depressing the button  38 . 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the resilient arm  36  may be formed by cutting a U-shaped slot in a side wall of the tube  22 , with the button  38  on the free end of the arm  36 , and with the button projecting out from the side wall. To move the spike assembly  30  into the spike-out position, the user inserts the top end of the holder into the tube  22 , depresses the button  38 , and slides the spike assembly  30  into the tube  22  until the button  38  pops out into the hole  40 . The spike assembly  30  is then locked in place in the spike-out position shown in  FIG. 4 . The agility pole  20  may then be used as described above, in the same way as with an agility pole having a fixed spike. 
         [0027]    To move the spike assembly  30  into the spike-in position shown in  FIG. 6 , the user depresses the button  38 , pulls the spike assembly  30  entirely out of the tube  22 , and re-inserts the spike assembly into the tube spike-first. As the holder  34  slides into the tube  22 , the button  38  pops out into the opening  40 , again locking the spike assembly  30  in place, now in the spike-in position. As shown in  FIG. 14 , a plate or rim  80  having a through hole may be provided within the tube to provide a hard stop for the holder  64  when in the spike-in position. In the spike-in position, the top end of the holder  34  projects slightly out of the tube  22 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , so that the user can conveniently grasp it to switch it to the spike-out position. As only the blunt top end of the holder  34  projects from the tube in the spike-in position, the disadvantages of a fixed spike are avoided. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 14-16 , for use on synthetic turf, or paved or hard surfaces, the agility pole  20  may be used in the spike-in position, with the bottom end of the pole  20  inserted into a slot  84  in a base  82  or other holding element. The base  82  may be shaped as a four-sided pyramid having one, two or three vertical slots  84  for receiving and holding the pole  20 , and optionally one or more horizontal slots. The base  82  may be made of solid rubber or plastic, or it may be fillable with a weight element such as sand or water. 
         [0029]    Turning to  FIGS. 8-10 , a passing arc  50  has a curved tube  52  optionally with straight end segments  54 . A receptacle optionally in the form of a slot  58  is provided in each end segment  54 , or in the ends of the curved tube if no straight end segments are used. In the example shown, slots  58  are located on opposite sides of the tube. A ramp  56  and an indent  60  may be provided at each slot  58 . A spike assembly  62  has a holder  64  with one or more fittings, in this example in the form of lugs  66  on opposite sides of the holder  64 . The spike  32  is attached to a bottom end of the holder  64 . The holder  64  may be plastic or metal, with the spike  32  optionally an integral part of the holder. The holder may have one or more grooves  68  which engage a key in the tube. If straight end segments  54  are not used, the spike  32  and the holder  64  of the spike assembly  62  may be curved to match the curvature of the curved tube  52 . 
         [0030]    The spike assembly  30  may be inserted into the tube  52  or segments  54  in the spike-out position shown in  FIG. 11 , or in the spike-in position shown in  FIG. 12 , as described above. Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 12 , in either case, the user aligns the lug  66  with the slot  58  and slides the holder  64  into the tube. The ramps  56 , if used, may help guide the lug into the slot  58 . The indents  60  project inwardly and create an interference fit with the lug  66 . With nominal additional force, the lug  66  snaps past the indents  60  and is captured in the complimentary opening at the top of the slot  58 . With the lug  66  seated in the opening  70 , the spike assembly  30  is fixed in place on the tube. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 17 , the passing arc  50  may be used on synthetic turf, a hard or paved surface in the spike-in position by inserting one or both ends of the arc  50  into a slot  84  in a base  82 . 
         [0032]    Attached means an element joined to another element, or a single integral element having two features or functions. Rectangular means geometrically rectangular or square, or a four sided shape having equal opposite side, and rounded corners. Substantially outside of the tube means that enough of the spike is outside of the tube to allow the spike to support the tube, e.g., at least 2 or 3 cm, up to the full length of the spike. The fittings and receptacles shown in  FIGS. 1-7  may optionally be used in the design shown in  FIGS. 8-12 , and vice versa. The positions of the fittings and receptacles may of course also be reversed, with the fitting provided on the tube and the receptacles on the spike assembly. 
         [0033]    Thus, novel equipment has been shown and described. Various changes and substitutions may of course be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited except by the following claims and their equivalents.