US 6,659,409 B2 · Positioning poles for surveying equipment, global positioning antennas, and the like · patentgrep

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Abstract

A positioning pole comprising an elongated center pole, a first guide disposed on an outer surface of the center pole, a first support leg, and a first attachment coupler which pivotally attaches the first support leg to the first guide. The first guide has an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole. The first attachment coupler has an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the guide, a first face, and a second face. The first face of the first attachment coupler has a contoured surface interfitting with the pole's first guide and enables the first attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the first guide without separating from the guide in directions that are perpendicular to the guide's elongated dimension. A locking mechanism locks the attachment coupler to a corresponding guide once a desired position is found for the support leg.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A positioning pole comprising:

a center pole having an elongated dimension, a center axis oriented parallel to the eloneated dimension, an outer surface disposed along the elongated dimension and about the center axis, a first guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, and a second guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, the first and second guides being located at different angular positions relative to the center axis;
a first attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the first guide, the first face having a contoured surface which interfits with the first guide of the pole and enables the fist attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the first guide;
a first support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the first attachment coupler, and a second end, the first support leg being rotatable between a position where its second end is toward the center pole and a plurality of extended positions where its second end is extended away from the center pole, the first support leg being attached to the center pole only at its first end when the first support leg is in one of its extended positions;
a second attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the second guide, the first face having a contoured surface which interfits with the second guide of the pole and enables the second attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the second guide, the second attachment coupler being independently moveable with respect to the first attachment coupler;
and
a second support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the second attachment coupler, and a second end, the second support leg being rotatable between a position where its second end is toward the center pole and a plurality of extended positions where its second end is extended away from the center pole, the second support leg being attached to the center pole only at its first end when the second support leg is in one of its extended positions;
and
wherein the first and second support legs are independently moveable when in their extended positions.

5 more elements

A positioning pole comprising:

a center pole having an elongated dimension, a center axis oriented parallel to the elongated dimension, an outer surface disposed along the elongated dimension and about the center axis, a first guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, and a second guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, the first and second guides being located at different positions on the outer surface relative to the center axis, the first guide comprising a first dovetail groove formed in the center pole and the second guide comprising a second dovetail groove formed in the center pole;
a first attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the first guide, the first face having a dovetail protrusion which interfits with the first dovetail groove and enables the first attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the first guide;
a first support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the first attachment coupler, and a second end;
a second attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the second guide, the first face having a dovetail protrusion which interfits with the second dovetail groove and enables the second attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the second guide, the second attachment coupler being independently moveable with respect to the first attachment coupler;
and
a second support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the second attachment coupler, and a second end.

3 more elements

A positioning pole comprising:

a center pole having an elongated dimension, an outer surface disposed along the elongated dimension, a first guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, and a second guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, said first guide comprising a flat bar having a first surface facing the surface of the center pole, a second surface opposite to the first surface and facing outward from the center pole, and an elongated dimension which is parallel to the elongated dimension of the center pole, said first guide further comprising at least one support rib which connects the second surface of the flat bar to the center pole;
a first attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the first guide, the first face having a contoured surface which interfits with the first guide of the pole and enables the first attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the first guide;
a first support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the first attachment coupler, and a second end;
a second attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the second guide, the first face having a contoured surface which interfits with the second guide of the pole and enables the second attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the second guide;
and
a second support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the second attachment coupler, and a second end.

3 more elements

A positioning pole comprising:

a center pole having an elongated dimension, an outer surface disposed along the elongated dimension, a first guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, and a second guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole;
a first attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the first guide, the first face having a contoured surface which interfits with the first guide of the pole and enables the first attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the first guide;
a first support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the first attachment coupler, and a second end;
a second attachment coupler having an elongated dimension, a first face, and a second face, the elongated dimension being shorter than the elongated dimension of the second guide, the first face having a contoured surface which interfits with the second guide of the pole and enables the second attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the second guide;
a second support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second face of the second attachment coupler, and a second end;
and
a first locking arm pivotally attached to the second face of the first attachment coupler and having a cam surface which is rotated into a position in which it presses against a surface portion of the first guide.

4 more elements

A positioning pole comprising:

a center pole having an elongated dimension, a center axis oriented parallel to the elongated dimension, an outer surface disposed along the elongated dimension and about the center axis, a first guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, and a second guide disposed on the outer surface and having an elongated dimension oriented parallel to the elongated dimension of the pole, the first and second guides being located at different angular positions relative to the center axis;
a first attachment coupler having an elongated dimension which is shorter than the elongated dimension of the first guide, and a contoured surface which interfits with the first guide of the pole and enables the first attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the first guide;
a first support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the first attachment coupler, and a second end, the first support leg being rotatable between a position where its second end is toward the center pole and a plurality of extended positions where its second end is extended away from the center pole, the first support leg being attached to the center pole only at its first end when the first support leg is in one of its extended positions;
a second attachment coupler having an elongated dimension which is shorter than the elongated dimension of the second guide, and a contoured surface which interfits with the second guide of the pole and enables the second attachment coupler to slide along the elongated dimension of the second guide, the second attachment coupler being independently moveable with respect to the first attachment coupler;
and
a second support leg having a first end pivotally attached to the second attachment coupler, and a second end, the second support leg being rotatable between a position where its second end is toward the center pole and a plurality of extended positions where its second end is extended away from the center pole, the second support leg being attached to the center pole only at its first end when the second support leg is in one of its extended positions;
and
wherein the first and second support legs are independently moveable when in their extended positions.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/104,871Filed 21 Mar 2002
Published: US 2003/0178537 A125 Sep 2003
Granted: 9 Dec 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01C 15/06
Means for marking measuring points: surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
F16M 11/046
Allowing translations: adapted to upward-downward translation movement
F16M 11/242
Changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each other: by spreading of the legs
F16M 2200/027
For translational movement: by friction

Family

US 2003/0178537 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Sep 2003
US 6,659,409 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Citations

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