WO2006079140A1

WO2006079140A1 - Ground engaging towel peg

Info

Publication number: WO2006079140A1
Application number: PCT/AU2005/001611
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alan David Strugnell
Original assignee: Denport Holdings Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-10-19
Filing date: 2005-10-19
Publication date: 2006-08-03

Abstract

A ground engaging towel peg (10) has a ground engaging, elongate shaft (12) having a top end (14) and a bottom end (16), the bottom end (16) of the shaft (12) being adapted to penetrate soil or sand when a force is applied to the top end (14). A fabric retaining means (24) is provided at the top end (14) of the shaft (12) and includes a base portion (26) and a lid portion (28). The lid portion (28) is coupled to the base portion (26) by a hinge connection (30) and is movable between an open position and a closed position. Preferably an upper surface (32) of the lid portion (28) of the fabric retaining means (24) is substantially smooth so that a force can be applied thereto in the closed position by pressing with the hand. A clasp (40) is provided to grip the edge of the towel or similar article made of flexible fabric when the lid portion (28) is moved to the closed position and a force is applied to the upper surface (32) thereof.

Description

"GROUND ENGAGING TOWEL PEG"

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a ground engaging towel peg for temporarily anchoring a beach towel or similar article made of flexible fabric to the ground.

Background to the Invention

Beaches, lakes and rivers are extremely popular recreational destinations for people when they are on holidays or just relaxing on the weekend. Typically, time spent swimming or playing in the water is alternated with intervals of sunbathing on the beach, lying or sitting on a beach towel or picnic blanket. Occasionally, a table cloth or tarpaulin may be spread out on the sand or in a grassed area, on which food and beverages may be set for a picnic lunch. Anyone who has spent time relaxing in this way knows from experience that even a light breeze can be sufficient to lift the edge of a towel, cloth or tarpaulin and to displace it from its intended location. This can be extremely annoying, especially when the article has been left temporarily unattended. The fabric of the table cloth, tarpaulin or picnic blanket may end up knocking over cups of drink or getting soiled with food. In the case of a beach towel, if the owner is lying on the towel, when the edge is lifted by the wind it often carries sand with it, which ends up in the eyes or stuck to the skin with suntan lotion. In stronger winds the whole towel, tarpaulin or cloth may be blown away to another location.

Various solutions have been tried to deal with this problem. Perhaps the most common is to weigh down the corners of the towel or cloth with other heavier objects, such as shoes, bags, stones or sand. All of these have the disadvantage that to be effective they must occupy a significant area of the fabric, which reduces the area left for lying on or for other purposes. Also, such objects are not always readily at hand. Various prior art devices for holding an article made of fabric and anchoring it to the ground have been developed, including specially designed ground engaging stakes. A problem with many of these devices is a tendency to damage or tear the fabric when it is inserted into a portion of the device intended to grip the fabric in use. Another problem is that they often include several components which are easily separated and lost when not in use, and which increase the complexity and hence the cost of such devices.

There is also a need to provide some means to assist in securing a towel or cloth in a taut position on sand or another soft surface. It is inconvenient for example for a user when the towel or cloth collapses into a furrow formed in the sand by the body of the user when positioned on the towel or cloth.

The present invention was developed with a view to providing a towel peg that is simple to use and is less susceptible to one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art.

References to prior art in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a ground engaging towel peg for temporarily anchoring a towel or other article made of flexible fabric to the ground, the peg comprising:

a ground engaging, elongate shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end of the shaft being adapted to penetrate soil when a force is applied to the top end;

a fabric retaining means provided at the top end of the shaft and including a base portion and a lid portion, the lid portion being coupled to the base portion by a hinge connection and being movable between an open position in which an edge of an article made of flexible fabric can be received in the fabric retaining means, and a closed position in which the edge of the article is removably retained in the fabric retaining means. Preferably an upper surface of the lid portion of the fabric retaining means is substantially smooth so that a force can be applied thereto in the closed position by pressing with the hand. Advantageously said upper surface of the lid portion has a gentle convex curvature. Typically said base portion has a profile of substantially the same shape as the lid portion. Preferably a pair of finger tabs is provided on respective, opposing edges of the lid portion and the base portion to facilitate releasing of the lid portion from the closed position by applying a twisting action with the hand. Advantageously the finger tabs are offset from each other in a direction parallel to the plane of the lid portion in the closed position.

In a preferred embodiment said lid portion has a profile of generally semicircular shape, having a straight edge and a curved edge, said hinge connection being provided along the straight edge. Preferably said base portion is of substantially planar configuration and has a profile of substantially the same shape as the lid portion, including a straight edge and a curved edge, said hinge connection being provided along the straight edge. Preferably said hinge connection is formed by a web of flexible material extending substantially the full length of, and joining, said straight edges of the base portion and the lid portion. Advantageously said lid portion, base portion and hinge connection of the fabric retaining means are formed integral with each other. Typically they are formed from a suitable resilient plastics material by an injection moulding process.

Preferably said fabric retaining means further comprises a clasp designed to grip the edge of the article when the lid portion is moved to the closed position and a force is applied to the upper surface thereof. Preferably said clasp comprises a male part and a female part, the female part being designed to receive the male part therein, together with an edge of the article, in interlocking relationship. Advantageously said female part of the clasp comprises a pair of resilient fingers designed to move apart and receive the male part and the edge of the article there between, and to apply a gripping force to the male part, when the lid portion is moved to the closed position. Typically said male part comprises a generally cylindrically-shaped body portion mounted on a support, with the axis of the body portion lying substantially parallel to the plane of the lid portion in the closed position.

In one embodiment a lower surface of said lid portion is convex to form a hollow within which one of said male part or female part of the clasp is mounted. Preferably said male part of the clasp is mounted on the base portion of the fabric retaining means, and said female part is mounted in the lid portion.

Preferably said ground engaging, elongate shaft comprises a substantially planar first member tapered from a maximum width at the top end to a point at the bottom end. Preferably said elongate shaft comprises a substantially planar second member tapered from a maximum width at the top end to a point at the bottom end, the second member being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the first member to give the shaft a T-shaped cross- section.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Likewise the word "preferably" or variations such as "preferred", will be understood to imply that a stated integer or group of integers is desirable but not essential to the working of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the ground engaging towel peg, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a ground engaging towel peg in accordance with the present invention, showing the lid portion in the closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the towel peg of Figure 1 showing the lid portion in an open position; Figure 3 is a plan view of the towel peg of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the towel peg of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the towel peg of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the towel peg of Figure 1 showing how an. edge of a towel is inserted with the lid portion in the open position;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the towel peg of Figure 1 showing how an edge of a towel is inserted with the lid portion in the closed position;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the towel peg of Figure 1 in situ showing how a towel is anchored to the ground;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of two of the towel pegs of Figure 1 illustrating how they can be fastened back to back to form a double towel peg.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

A preferred embodiment of the ground engaging towel peg 10, in accordance with the present invention, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a ground engaging, elongate shaft 12 having a top end 14 and a bottom end 16, the bottom end 16 of the shaft 12 being adapted to penetrate soil or sand when a force is applied to the top end 14. For this purpose, the shaft 12 comprises a substantially planar first member 18 tapered from a maximum width at the top end to a point at the bottom end. The shaft 12 further comprises a substantially planar second member 20, which is also tapered from a maximum width at the top end to a point at the bottom end, the second member 20 being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the first member 18 to give the shaft a T-shaped cross-section, as can be seen most clearly in Figure 3. Preferably the first and second members 18 and 20 of the shaft 12 are formed integral with each other.

Advantageously the first planar member 18 of the ground engaging shaft 12 is provided with a plurality of fastening means 22 adapted to interlock with a matching plurality of fastening means 22 on another towel peg 10. This arrangement permits a pair of the towel pegs 10 to be temporarily joined together back to back as illustrated in Figure 9. The double towel peg thus formed can be employed, for example, when two towels or two tarpaulins need to anchored to the ground side by side.

The towel peg 10 further comprises a fabric retaining means 24 provided at the top end 14 of the shaft 12 and including a base portion 26 and a. lid portion 28. The lid portion 28 is coupled to the base portion 26 by a hinge connection 30 and is movable between an open position as shown in Figure 1 , and a closed position as shown in Figure 2. Preferably an upper surface 32 of the lid portion 28 of the fabric retaining means 24 is substantially smooth so that a force can be applied thereto in the closed position by pressing with the hand. For this reason the upper surface 32 of the lid portion 28 preferably has a gentle convex curvature, as can be seen most clearly in Figures 4 and 5. Another advantage of making the upper surface 32 of the lid portion 24 smooth is that this area can then be used for printing, embossing or otherwise affixing a well-known trade mark, logo or other promotional material on the towel peg. The upper surface 32 is typically the only part of the towel peg 10 that is visible in use, and hence it provides an effective means of promoting third party products, especially as there are normally four or more of the towel pegs 10 being used together in close proximity. From a commercialisation point of view, this fact is significant since it means companies can easily advertise their logos or products in a public place such as a beach.

The upper surface 32 of the towel peg 10 may of course be brightly coloured to serve as a means of quick visual identification by the owner of the particular beach towel. In addition, a brightly coloured surface 32 may be used effectively for promotional and advertising purposes.

In the illustrated embodiment the lid portion 28 has a profile of generally semicircular shape, having a straight edge and a curved edge, the hinge connection 30 being provided along the straight edge. The base portion 26 is of substantially planar configuration and has a profile of substantially the same shape as the lid portion 28, including a straight edge and a curved edge. The hinge connection 30 is formed by a web of flexible material extending substantially the full length of, and joining, the respective straight edges of the base portion 26 and the lid portion 28. Advantageously the lid portion 28, base portion 26 and hinge connection 30 of the fabric retaining means 24 are all formed integral with each other. Preferably the ground engaging shaft 12 and the fabric retaining means 30 are also formed integral with each other from a suitable resilient plastics material, for example, by an injection moulding process. A suitable plastics material from which the towel peg 10 may be manufactured is, for example, polypropylene. Making the towel peg 10 as a single, mass-produced component significantly reduces the cost of manufacturing the towel peg.

Advantageously the top end of the first member 18, forming the horizontal portion of the T-shaped cross-section, extends along the straight edge of the base portion 26 over substantially the length of the straight edge. Likewise, the top end of the second member 20, forming the vertical portion of the T- shaped cross-section, extends perpendicularly to the straight edge of the base portion 26 over substantially the width of the fabric retaining means 24. Hence, force transmitted via the fabric retaining means 24 to the shaft 12, to drive the towel peg into soil, is distributed more evenly over the surface of base portion 26.

Preferably a pair of finger tabs 34 is provided on the respective, opposing curved edges of the lid portion 28 and the base portion 26 to facilitate releasing of the lid portion from the closed position. The lid portion 26 is released by applying a twisting action with the hand to the finger tabs 34. Advantageously the finger tabs 34 are offset from each other in a direction parallel to the plane of the lid portion 28 in the closed position, as can be seen most clearly in Figures 3 and 4.

The fabric retaining means 24 further comprises a clasp 40 designed to grip the edge of the towel or similar article made of flexible fabric when the lid portion 28 is moved to the closed position and a force is applied to the upper surface 32 thereof. In the illustrated embodiment the clasp comprises a male part 42 and a female part 44, the female part 44 being designed to receive the male part 42 therein, together with an edge of the article, in interlocking relationship. The female part 44 of the clasp 40 comprises a pair of resilient fingers 46 designed to move apart and receive the male part 42 and the edge of the article there between, when the lid portion 28 is moved to the closed position. The male part 42 comprises a generally cylindrically-shaped body portion 48 mounted on a support 50, with the axis of the body portion 48 lying substantially parallel to the plane of the lid portion 28 in the closed position. When the body portion 48' of the male part 44 is received between the resilient fingers 46 of the female part 42, the fingers 46 move apart to receive the body portion 48 of the male part 44 and then move together again to apply a gripping force thereto. In this way, an edge of the towel or other article made of flexible fabric can be removably retained in the fabric retaining means 24 in use.

In the illustrated embodiment a lower surface 52 of the lid portion 28 is convex to form a hollow within which the male part 44 of the clasp 40 is mounted. The female part 42 of the clasp is mounted on the base portion 26 of the fabric retaining means 24. With this arrangement the gap between the lid portion 28 and the base portion 26 in the closed position is reduced, so that the curved edge of the lid portion 28 presses the edge of the towel against the base portion 26 and assists in more effectively retaining the towel in the fabric retaining means 24 in use.

The towel peg may of course be dimensioned in various sizes. In the embodiment as described, the shaft 12 is about 30cm in length, and the lid portion 28 (and corresponding base portion 26) is about 11cm in widest diameter.

The manner in which the towel peg 10 is typically used will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 6 to 8. With the lid portion 28 in the open position as shown in Figure 6, the edge of a towel 56 or other article made of flexible fabric is placed between the female part 42 and male part 44 of the fabric retaining means 24. The lid portion 28 is then moved to the closed position as shown in Figure 7 and a force is applied to the upper surface 32 thereof by pressing with the hand. Advantageously this force can be applied at the same time as the towel peg 10 is driven into the ground, at the desired location, in one action. Alternatively, the lid portion 28 can first be pushed to the closed position, so that the edge of the towel 56 is removably retained in the fabric retaining means 24, and then subsequently the towel peg can be positioned in the desired location and driven into the ground such as at a sandy beach, as shown in Figure 8. In either case, sufficient force should be applied to the upper surface 32 of the lid portion to ensure that the body portion 48 of the male part 42, together with the edge of the towel 56 are fully received between, and gripped by, the fingers 46 of the clasp 40. This operation is repeated for each corner of the towel 56 or for as many edges of the towel 56 as desired. To release the towel from the fabric retaining means of the towel peg 10, a twisting action is applied to the finger tabs 24 to unclasp the lid portion 28 from the base portion 26. Gently pulling on the towel with sufficient force while the peg is still held in the ground may have the same effect.

With the edges of the towel or other article made of flexible fabric thus anchored to the ground, such as on a sandy beach, it is virtually impossible for wind to lift the edges or move the fabric from the intended location. The gripping force applied to the towel by the fabric retaining means is sufficiently strong to retain the fabric, even in very windy conditions. On the other hand, the gripping force is not so strong that the fabric retaining means will not be released if the towel is suddenly tensioned, for example, by someone accidentally tripping on the edge of the towel. Hence, the possibility of the towel being torn or damaged by the towel peg not releasing the edge of the towel is minimised. A further benefit of course is that the towel may be held in a taut position on the sand, in particular when a number of. towel pegs are used.

Now that a preferred embodiment of the towel peg 10 has been described in detail it will be apparent that it provides a number of advantages compared to the prior art, including the following:

(a) It is inexpensive to manufacture as a single, mass-produced component using, for example, a plastic injection moulding technique. (b) It is easy to use and there is no possibility of separate components becoming separated and lost.

(c) The upper surface of the lid portion lends itself to carrying third party advertising and other promotional material which has important application in the commercialisation of the invention.

(d) The manner in which the towel or other article made from flexible fabric is retained in the fabric retaining means minimises the possibility of tearing or damaging the fabric of the article.

It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention. For example, the described clasp of the fabric retaining means is the preferred arrangement; however a variety of other arrangements for retaining the fabric in the fabric retaining means may also work satisfactorily. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described and is to be determined from the appended claims.

Claims

The Claims defining the Invention are as follows:

1. A ground engaging towel peg for temporarily anchoring a towel or other article made of flexible fabric to the ground, the peg comprising:

a fabric retaining means provided at the top end of the shaft and including a base portion and a lid portion, the lid portion being coupled to the base portion by a hinge connection and being movable between an open position in which an edge of an article made of flexible fabric can be received in the fabric retaining means, and a closed position in which the edge of the article is removably retained in the fabric retaining means, said lid portion, base portion and hinge connection of the fabric retaining means being formed integral with each other.

2. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the lid portion of the fabric retaining means is substantially smooth so that a force can be applied thereto in the closed position by pressing with the hand.

3. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 2, wherein said upper surface of the lid portion has a gentle convex curvature.

4. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said upper surface of the lid portion is used for carrying printed material.

5. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said base portion has a profile of substantially the same shape as the lid portion.

6. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a pair of finger tabs is provided on respective, opposing edges of the lid portion and the base portion to facilitate releasing of the Hd portion from the closed position by applying a twisting action with the hand.

7. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 6, wherein the finger tabs are offset from each other in a direction parallel to the plane of the lid portion in the closed position.

8. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said lid portion has a profile of generally semi-circular shape, having a straight edge and a curved edge, said hinge connection being provided along the straight edge.

9. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 8, wherein said base portion is of substantially planar configuration and has a profile of substantially the same shape as the lid portion, including a straight edge and a curved edge, said hinge connection being provided along the straight edge.

10. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 9, wherein said hinge connection is formed by a web of flexible material extending substantially the full length of, and joining, said straight edges of the base portion and the lid portion respectively.

11. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said ground engaging shaft and fabric retaining means are formed integral with each other from a suitable resilient plastics material.

12. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 11, wherein said ground engaging shaft and fabric retaining means are formed by an injection moulding process.

13. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fabric retaining means further comprises a clasp designed to grip the edge of the article when the lid portion is moved to the closed position and a force is applied to the upper surface thereof.

14. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 13, wherein said clasp comprises a male part and a female part, the female part being designed to receive the male part therein, together with an edge of the article, in interlocking relationship.

15. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 14, wherein said female part of the clasp comprises a pair of resilient fingers designed to move apart and receive the male part and the edge of the article there between, and to apply a gripping force to the male part, when the Hd portion is moved to the closed position.

16. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 14 or claim 15, wherein said male part comprises a generally cylindrically-shaped body portion mounted on a support, with the axis of the body portion lying substantially parallel to the plane of the lid portion in the closed position.

17. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein a lower surface of said lid portion is convex to form a hollow within which one of said male part or female part of the clasp is mounted.

18. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 17, wherein said male part of the clasp is mounted on the base portion of the fabric retaining means, and said female part is mounted in the lid portion.

19. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said ground engaging, elongate shaft comprises a substantially planar first member tapered from a maximum width at the top end to a point at the bottom end.

20. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 19, wherein said elongate shaft comprises a substantially planar second member tapered from a maximum width at the top end to a point at the bottom end, the second member being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the first member to give the shaft a T-shaped cross-section.

21. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 20, wherein the top end of the first member, forming the horizontal portion of the T-shaped cross- section, extends along a straight edge of the base portion of said fabric retaining means over substantially the length of said straight edge.

22. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 21, wherein the top end of the second member, forming the vertical portion of the T-shaped cross- section, extends perpendicularly to said straight edge of the base portion of said fabric retaining means over substantially the width of said fabric retaining means.

23. A ground engaging towel peg as defined in claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the first member of the ground engaging shaft is provided with a plurality of fastening means adapted to interlock with a matching plurality of fastening means on another towel peg, whereby a pair of said towel pegs can be temporarily joined together back to back.