AU2007229414A1

AU2007229414A1 - A ground socket for supporting a post

Info

Publication number: AU2007229414A1
Application number: AU2007229414A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Adams; Timothy Hooper
Original assignee: Hills Ltd
Current assignee: Cyclone Tools Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-20
Filing date: 2007-10-19
Publication date: 2008-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2027-10-19
Also published as: AU2007229414B2

Description

OCT.19.2002 16:26 +61 8 83118300 MADDERNS_L #3052 P.004 /017 Regulation 3.2

O

SAUSTRALIA

C' PATENTS ACT 1990 O COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

SFOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

O

Name of Applicant: Hills Industries Limited Actual Inventors: Timothy Hooper Peter Adams Address for Service: MADDERNS, 1st Floor, 64 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Invention title: A GROUND SOCKET FOR SUPPORTING A POST Details of Associated Provisional Application No: 2006905823 dated 20 October 2006 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

ParAUMI I COMS ID No: ARCS-165520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19 OCT.19.2002 16:26 +61 8 83118300 MADDERNSL #3052 P.005 /017

PRIORITY

o The present application for patent claims priority from 'Australian Provisional cN Patent Application No. 2006905823 entitled "A Ground Socket for Supporting O a Post" filed 20 October 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a ground socket, and in particular an adaptor for a ground socket capable of being adjusted to hold different diameter posts.

(N SBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cl Ground sockets are often used for vertically supporting household articles such as clothes lines. The ground socket enables the clothes line to be removed when not in use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means of adapting such ground sockets to hold other articles, particularly articles which have support posts of varying size that are smaller by comparison to the internal diameter of the ground socket.

For example, it would be convenient to use the ground socket to support an umbrella. However, the smaller diameter of umbrella posts mean that the umbrella is not vertically supported within the ground socket and can therefore move in the socket so that it will be readily moved by wind.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect the present invention accordingly provides an adapter for supporting a post of varying size including: a plurality of nesting supports each having an opening within which a successively smaller sized nesting support is able to locate; 2 COMS ID No: ARCS-165520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19 OCT.19.2002 16:25 +61 8 83118300 NADDEBNSL #3052 P.006 /017 a base support having a plurality of support means stepping o downwardly and -reducing in size from one support means to the next to receive an end of -the post of varying size to locate a lower end of the post at a correspondingly sized support means, and holding means for holding the largest nesting support and the successively smaller sized nesting supports above the base support, wherein in use a post of varying size is supported by a nesting support having an opening selected to substantially match the post to support the post at two ON spaced apart locations.

o Preferably, the shape of the opening of the plurality of nesting supports substantially matches a cross-sectional shape of the post.

Preferably, the shape of the plurality of support means substantially matches the cross-sectional shape of the post.

Preferably, the base support has a plurality of reducing diameters to provide a number of different diameters for location of the end of the post.

Preferably, the plurality of nesting supports have circular openings.

Preferably, the plurality of nesting supports are tubular and each nesting support has an external size and shape that substantially matches the internal size and shape of the next largest support to enable nesting of the plurality of nesting supports.

Preferably, the plurality of nesting supports are cylindrical and each nesting support has an external diameter that matches the internal diameter of the next largest support.

3 COMS ID No: ARCS-165520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10 19 OCT.19.2002 16:26 +61 8 83118300 MADDERNS L #3052 P.007 /017 Preferably, the plurality of nesting supports include releasable holding means o to releasably hold together the plurality of nesting supports.

cM -qo Preferably, a largest sized nesting support of the plurality of nesting support includes releasable securing means to releasably secure the largest sized nesting support to the holding means.

Preferably, the plurality of nesting supports are located within the holding means.

C' O Preferably, the adaptor further includes an assembly which itself locates C within an existing ground socket for another article.

Preferably, the existing ground socket is a clothes line ground socket operative to receive a central support of a clothes line.

Preferably, the adaptor further includes a locking collar to secure the adaptor to the existing ground socket.

In order to understand the invention, the preferred embodiment will now be described. However it should be realised that the invention is not to be confined or restricted to the precise details or features of this embodiment.

Variations that would be apparent to a person skilled in the art are deemed to be within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 shows an assembled perspective view of an adaptor in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 4 COMS ID No: ARCS-165520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19 OCT.19.2002 16:26 *61 8 03118300NAD NSL302 .00/1 MADDERNS-L #3052 P.008 /017 FIGURE 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the components of the o adaptor illustrated in Figure 1; FIGURES 3 and 4 show front cross-section views of the adaptor illustrated in o Figure 1 located in an existing ground socket and FIGURE 5 shows a front perspective cross-sectio-n -view of the adaptor assembly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

In the following description, like reference characters designate like or Corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

o DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 shows the adaptor 10 which in this preferred embodiment includes a plurality of nesting supports 11, a base support 12, a tube or holding means 13 and a locking collar 14.

The base support 12 is a moulded plastic component that has a spigot 16 that locates within the lower end of the tube 13, A pair of sprung tabs 17 engages within apertures 18 in the end of the tube 13 to releasaibly secure the tube 13 and base support 12 together.

The largest diameter nesting support 19 locates withini the upper end of the tube 13. Each of the individual nesting supports 11 are provided with a resilient tab 20 with the resilient tab 20 of the largest diameter nesting support 19 locating within an aperture 21 within the tube 13. The tabs 20 of the remaining nesting supports 11 locate into a suitably shaped recess (not shown) located at the lower edge 27 of an adjacent nesting support 11 to hold it firmly in position, thereby providing releasable holding means to hold together the plurality of nesting supports 11.

The locking collar 14 slides freely on the tube 13 and, as best seen in Figures 3 to 5, engages with ground socket 23. The base support 12 is provided with a COMS ID No: ARCS-165520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19 OCT.19.2002 16:27 *61 0 03118300NAD NSL302P09/1 MADDERNS-L #3052 P.009 /017 pair of flanges 24 with the end of each of the flanges 24 abutting against the o locking collar 14 to thereby prevent disengagement of the adaptor 10 from the ground socket 23.

As seen ini Figures 3 to 5, the base support 12 is provided with a series of reducing steps 25 functioning as plurality of support means that start at an uppermost largest diameter step 40 and gradually step down to a smallest diameter step 41.

Ci 10 In use, a number of the nesting supports 11. can be removed so that the resultant diameter matches the post 26 that is to be inserted therein. The post 26 is inserted through the top opening 42 of nesting support 11 with the lower end 30 of the post 26 locating within the appropriate diameter step 25 within the base support 12. As can be seen in Figures 3 to 5 where -use of the smallest diameter nesting support 11 is illustrated, the post 26 is then supported and located at both its l ower end 30 in the appropriate diameter step 25 and at an upper portion 31 by the nesting supports 11. In thids mariner, post 26 is centrally supported at two spaced apart locations along the post 26.

In this preferred embodiment, the openings 42 of the nesting supports 11 are circular in shape to match the cross-sectional shape of post 26 to provide minimal clearance. Furthermore, the reducing steps 25 of base support 12 are also circular in shape to receive and locate the lower end 30 of post 26. This principle can be extended to other cross-sectional shapes of the post whereby the shape of the openings 42 and/or reducing steps 25 are adapted to match sectional profile of the corresponding post. However, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art, it is not necessary for the shape of either the openings 42 and/or the reducing steps 2.5 to exactly match or be of the samne arosssection as the post 26 as for example, a suitably sized square shaped opening 42 and/or square shaped reducing steps 25 will also function to support the post 26 which has a circular cross-section.

6 COMS ID No: ARCS-i 65520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19 OCT.19.2002 16:27 +61 6 63116300 MADDERNS_ L #3052 P.010 /017 As can be seen from the above description, the invention provides a means of 0 allowing a post 26 to be firmly supported within a gr-ound Socket 23 which is of a considerably larger diameter than the post 26. Accordingly, the adaptor can be used in existing ground sockets (for example a ground socket typically employed to receive a central support of a clothes line) to support other articles having varying size posts such as umbrellas and the like.

CI 10 Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing detailed description, it will be understood that the CI invention is not limited to the embodiment disdlosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention as Set forth and defined by the following claims.

7 COMS ID No: ARCS-i 65520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19

Claims

2. The adaptor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape of the opening of the plurality of nesting supports substantially matches a cross-sectional shape of the post.
3. The adaptor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the shape of the plurality of support means substantially matches the cross-sectional shape of the post.
4. The adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base support has a plurality of reducing diameters to provide a number of different diameters for location of the end of the post. The adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of nesting supports have circular openings.
6. The adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of nesting supports are tubular and wherein each nesting support has an external size and shape that substantially matches the internal size and 8 COMS ID No: ARCS-165520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19 OCT.19.2002 16:27 +61 6 63116300MADNSL302P12/7 MADDERNS-L #3052 P.012 /017 shape of the next largest support to enable nesting of the plurality of nesting supports. o7. The adaptor as claimned in claim 6, wherein the plurality of nesting supports are cylindrical and wherein each nesting support has an external diameter that matches the internal diameter of the next largest support. '48. The adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the '4 plurality of nesting supports include releasable holding means to releasably ci hold together the plurality of nesting supports. o9. The. adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a largest sized nesting support of the plurality of nesting support includes releasable securing means. to releasably secure the largest sized nesting support to the holding means- The adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of nesting supports are located within the holding means. 11, The adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including an assembly which itself locates within an existing ground socket for another article.
12. The adaptor as claimed in claim 11, wherein the exi-sting ground socket is a clothes line ground socket operative to receive a central support of a clothes line.
13. The adaptor as claimed in claim 11 or 12, further including a locking collar to secure the adaptor to the existing ground socket.
14. An adaptor for supporting a post substantially in accordance with any one of the embodiments of the invention described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 9 COMS ID No: ARCS-165520 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:02 Date 2007-10-19