Patent Document

This patent claims the benefit of the filing date of the following U.S. provisional patent application 61/094,678, filed Sep. 5, 2008. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The subject invention generally relates to hand-held walking stilts. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Hand-held walking stilts can be used in physical education classes as a way of improving balance and coordination. People may also use walking stilts for exercise, for recreation, and as a toy. Walking stilts are commonly categorized as “pole-type” stilts, in which a hand-pole extends from a foot-base; and as “rope-type” stilts, in which a hand-rope extends from a foot-base. The pole or the rope extending from the base can be gripped to help with walking and balance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one version of the invention, there is a hand-held walking stilt comprising a base that contacts a walking surface. The base has a foot stand to support a user&#39;s foot a set distance above the walking surface, where the foot stand defines an opening for a pole. The base also has at least one base flange extending into the opening. There is also a pole adapted to extend through the opening in the foot stand, and to extend above the base away from the walking surface, with the pole having at least one pole flange that interconnects with the base flange to hold the base and the pole together. 
     According to another version of the invention, there is a method of assembling a hand-held walking stilt, the method comprising the steps of: providing a base that supports a user&#39;s foot above a walking surface and that has an opening with at least one base flange, and providing a pole that is grasped by a user&#39;s hand and that has at least one pole flange; inserting the pole into the opening such that the pole projects upward from the base; and twisting the pole in a first direction to overlap the base flange and the pole flange in order to connect the base and the pole together. 
     According to yet another version of the invention, there is a hand-held walking stilt comprising a base that contacts a walking surface, where the base has a foot stand to support a user&#39;s foot a predetermined distance above the walking surface, with the base defining an opening with an inner surface, and at least one helical base flange that extends from the inner surface and into the opening. There is also a pole adapted to be grasped by a user&#39;s hand that is receivable in the opening, with the pole having an end having at least one helical pole flange that extends from the end. The helical base flange is adapted to overlap with the helical pole flange to connect the pole and the base together in a threading manner when twisted in a first direction, and the helical base flange is adapted to separate from the helical pole flange in an un-threading manner when twisted in a second direction to disconnect the pole and the base from each other. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows students using example embodiments of hand-held walking stilts; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a hand-held walking stilt having a base and a pole connected together; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the hand-held walking stilt; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged top perspective view of an end of the pole; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the end of the pole; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the base; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the pole showing pole flanges; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the base showing base flanges; 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged view showing the pole and base flanges initially interconnected; 
         FIG. 10  is a section view taken along arrows  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged view showing the pole and base flanges interconnected about midway; 
         FIG. 12  is a section view taken along arrows  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is an enlarged view showing the pole and base flanges finally interconnected; 
         FIG. 14  is a section view taken along arrows  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom perspective view of the base joined to a rope; and 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of an embodiment showing the contour of the bottom of the base. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-15  show an example embodiment of a hand-held walking stilt generally shown at  10  that supports a user&#39;s foot and that can be grasped by a user&#39;s hand during use. The hand-held walking stilt  10  is designed for use as a pole-type stilt or a rope-type stilt. The hand-held walking stilt  10  includes a base generally indicated at  12 , a pole generally indicated at  14  that is connectable with the base, and a rope generally indicated at  16  that is joinable to the base. 
     The base  12  directly contacts a walking surface during use, and supports a user&#39;s foot a predetermined or set distance above the walking surface. Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  6 , the base  12  has a generally bucket-shape with an open-end  18  extending to a closed-end  20  via a circumferential wall  22 . As shown best in  FIG. 16 , the open-end  18  has a leading raised section  24  and a trailing raised section  26  formed in a non-planar curled edge  28  of the open-end. The leading and trailing raised sections  24 ,  26  facilitate stepping over the walking surface by complementing a natural step from the leading, or toe end, to the trailing, or heel end. When at rest, the leading and trailing raised sections  24 ,  26  arc above a flat walking surface beneath. The circumferential wall  22  tapers radially toward the closed-end  20  such that the open-end  18  has a larger diameter than the closed-end, and such that a number of bases can be partially telescoped and stacked one-on-top-of-another to store the bases during nonuse and shipping. The circumferential wall  22  has a pair of holes  30  located opposite one another for receiving an unknotted rope end which can then be knotted to join the rope  16  to the base  12  (shown best in  FIG. 15 ). Other embodiments can have a single hole or can have more than two holes. 
     A foot stand  32  is located at the closed-end  20  and serves as a platform for supporting a user&#39;s foot. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , on one side, the foot stand  32  has a number of traction beads  34  protruding from an exposed surface  36  for creating friction between the user&#39;s foot and the foot stand  32  to help prevent the user&#39;s foot from unintentionally sliding off of the foot stand. On the other side, a number of strengthening ribs  38  criss-cross each other on an unexposed surface  40  to help structurally support the foot stand  32  while carrying the weight of the user. 
     The base  12  further has an opening  42  located in the foot stand  32 . Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the opening  42  is sized to receive the pole  14  and has an inner surface  44 . One part of an interconnecting structure is located in the opening  42  and extends from the inner surface  44 . The interconnecting structure provides a quick-connect and disconnect feature that allows the pole  14  to be coupled to the base  12  and then removed from the base as desired. The other part of the interconnecting structure is located on the pole  14  as will be described in more detail below. The interconnecting structure can come in various forms that temporarily secure the base  12  and the pole  14  together by one or more actions, including inserting and twisting. In the example shown, first, second, and third partially helical base flanges  46 ,  48 , and  50  extend from the inner surface  44  and into the opening  42 , and are spaced equally around the inner surface. 
     Each base flange has a first circumferential end  52  and a second circumferential end  54  that is inclined toward the foot stand  32  so that each base flange is ramped from the first circumferential end to the second circumferential end. Each base flange also has an upper surface  56  and a lower surface  58 , and each upper surface has a base rib  60  located about midway between the circumferential ends and protruding axially from the upper surface. It should be appreciated that other interconnecting structures are possible that have not been shown or described. For example, a single helical base flange may extend around the inner surface  44 , a pair of partially helical base flanges may extend around the inner surface, and more than three partially helical base flanges may extend around the inner surface. Moreover, the base flanges need not necessarily be helical and instead could be axially staggered on the inner surface  44  with respect to each other. 
     The pole  14  is connectible with and disconnectible from the base  12  and, when connected, extends above the base and away from the walking surface. Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5 , and  7 , the pole  14  is designed to be grasped by a user&#39;s hand, but could have other designs including one with shoulder rests, for example. The pole  14  has an elongated body  62  that extends from a first end  64  to a second end  66 . The other part of the interconnecting structure is located near the second end  66  and complements the construction of the interconnecting structure located on the base  12 . In this example, a first, second, and third partially helical pole flange  68 ,  70 , and  72  protrude away from the body  62  and are spaced equally around the body. A flange support  88  supports each flange  68 ,  70 ,  72 . 
     Each pole flange has a first circumferential end  74  and a second circumferential end  76  that is inclined toward the first end  64  so that each pole flange is ramped from the first circumferential end to the second circumferential end. Each pole flange also has an upper surface  78  and a lower surface  80 . In this example, the first pole flange  68  has a pole rib  82  located near the second circumferential end  76  and protruding from the lower surface  80 . The second circumferential end  76  of the first pole flange  68  extends farther than the other second circumferential ends so that it slightly overlaps the neighboring circumferential end of the third pole flange  72 . The first pole flange  68  also has a space  83  formed between the body  62  and the first pole flange to allow the second circumferential end  76  to flex during connection. In other examples, one or both of the other pole flanges may also have a pole rib, may have a recess, or may have a combination thereof. Like the base flanges, other interconnecting structures for the pole flanges are possible that have not been shown or described. 
     The rope  16  can be joined with and unjoined from the base  12  as desired. Referring to  FIG. 15 , the robe  16  has a first and second free end  84 ,  86  that can be inserted into the holes  30  and knotted for joining the rope to the base  12 . To unjoin the rope  16  and base  12 , the free ends can be unknotted and pulled out of the holes  30 . The rope can be actual woven rope or an elongated piece of plastic that is extruded in solid or tube form. 
     In use, the hand-held walking stilt  10  can be interchangeably configured to function as a pole-type stilt or a rope-type stilt. Beginning with the base  12  by itself, to connect the pole  14 , the first end  64  of the pole is inserted through the open-end  18  and then through the opening  42 . The pole  14  is advanced through the opening  42  until the pole flanges and the base flanges confront one another as best shown in  FIG. 3 . The pole  14  is then twisted in a first direction A in a threading manner such that the pole flanges overlap and lock with the base flanges. Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the second circumferential ends  76  of each pole flange initially engage the first circumferential ends  52  of each base flange when the upper surfaces  78  of each pole flange lay against the lower surfaces  58  of each base flange. Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , as twisting progresses, the lower surfaces  80  of each pole flange ride over the upper surfaces  56  of each base flange. The pole and base flanges lay on top of one another in an overlapping arrangement. Referring to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , when finally positioned the pole rib  82  flexes and snaps over the base rib  60  and is caught thereby, thus preventing twisting in a second and opposite direction and temporarily coupling the pole  14  and base  12  together. The pole and base flanges&#39; overlapping arrangement prevents the pole  14  from being pushed or pulled out of the opening  42 . To disconnect the pole  14 , the pole is twisted in the second direction in reverse-threading manner and the pole rib  82  is again snapped over the base rib  60 . The pole  14  is twisted until the pole and base flanges are no longer overlapped and the pole is reversed out of the opening  42 . Whether the pole  14  is connected or disconnected, the rope  16  can be joined to the base  12  as described above. The construction and location of the interconnecting structure permits stacking of a number of bases without interference. 
     The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
     Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Moreover, the reference numerals are merely for convenience and are not intended to be in any way limiting.

Technology Category: 4