Protective cap for a stake

Abstract

A protective cap for use on the free end of a projecting stake includes a base platform, a receiving collar, a secondary collar, reinforcing ribs, and a cover. Optionally included are a plurality of metal clamps, and a tether. A horizontal hole in the receiving collar, or the secondary collar, provides a means for tethering the cap to the stake. Reinforcing ribs extend between the receiving collar and the secondary collar. Gripper teeth on the cover engage a variety of stake cross sections. An optional tether is configured with conical segments to engage with the horizontal holes. Optional notches and holes in the base platform would hold a glow stick.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

In the field of static structures, a protective cap for mounting at the top of a shaft and so shaped as to be the final upper terminal of the structure.

BACKGROUND ART

Metal stakes are a common fixture in the construction industry. Depending on the style of the stake, caps or other protective attachments have been described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,479 teaches a protective stake cap for placing atop a “T” shaped metal stake typically used in fencing applications. Innovativeness in this field, however, can greatly affect the protection offered by a cap against death or injury from an accidental human impact.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A protective cap is disclosed for use on the free end of stake projecting from the ground or other solid surface. The protective cap reduces the potential of impalement from an accidental fall onto such stakes. The protective cap includes a base platform, which is preferably a plate of about sixteen square inches. The base platform forms the top of the protective cap when the protective cap is placed on the stake.

In use, a stake is inserted into a protruding open end of a receiving collar extending from the base platform, preferably about 2 to 3 inches. A couple of horizontal holes near the protruding open end provide a means for tethering the cap to the stake.

A secondary collar surrounds the receiving collar on the base platform. Reinforcing ribs extend between the receiving collar and the secondary collar, which reinforces the cap against a side ejection of the stake upon impact with something falling on the cap.

A cover snaps on the open end of the receiving collar. Gripper teeth on the cover enable a firm fit to a variety of stake cross sections.

The protective cap also optionally includes metal clamps that may be rotated against the stake to hold the cap in place on the stake.

The protective cap optionally includes a tether configured with conical segments to pressure fit in at least one of the horizontal holes. The tether may also have a tab with a hole in it to facilitate use with a fastener.

The protective cap optionally includes base platform configured with at least one notch or hole to hold a glow stick, flag or other attachment.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

There is an important and unfilled need in the field for a protective cap for stake providing expanded use on a variety of stake cross sections and possessing several important safety features.

A first safety feature is that the protective cap must offer ease of use for installation and removal for later reuse when the cap is no longer needed.

A second safety feature is that the cap must be capable of being reused so that cost of the cap can be amortized over numerous installations and re-installations. Multiple use capability encourages its use and thus promoting safety.

A third safety feature is a protective cap that delivers inherent capability to remain in a deployed position on the stake after an impact.

Presently there is not a universal protective cap for a variety of stake cross sections possessing the above features to enhance safety. Various means and methods are used by conscientious people but more often than not, the lack of a universal cap results in no protection at all being used.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

Human protection from a protective cap atop a stake can be enhanced when the cap is easily deployed. The present invention employs a design for a protective cap that can be installed with a minimum of labor and then removed for reuse. This is an important feature that encourages safe practices with minimal additional labor costs associated with such installation and removal.

Human protection is further enhanced when the capital cost of the cap can be amortized over numerous installations and re-installations. The present invention is for a protective cap that is easy to install and easy to remove for later reuse so as to enable a construction company to spread the cost of a safety cap over more than a single job site.

Human protection is further enhanced when a protective cap has inherent stability upon being impacted from above by a human body. The present invention is a protective cap that delivers inherent capability to remain in a deployed position on the flat metal stake after such an impact and can avert consequential or secondary injury due to an exposed end to the stake during recovery or emergency treatment.

Human protection is further enhanced when a protective cap is inherently designed to distribute the force of the impact to minimize greater human damage from side ejection of the stake. The present invention is a protective cap that provides a relatively large impact area and side reinforcement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The drawings show preferred embodiments of a protective cap for a stake comprising the invention. The reference numbers in the drawings are used consistently throughout. New reference numbers in FIG. 2 are given the 200 series numbers. Similarly, new reference numbers in each succeeding drawing are given a corresponding series number beginning with the figure number.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective cap.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the protective cap shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the protective cap shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is perspective of a tether.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the cap showing a shock absorber.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and which illustrate several embodiments of the present invention. The drawings and the preferred embodiments of the invention are presented with the understanding that the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms and, therefore, other embodiments may be utilized with structural changes that provide the same function in the same way and with the same result as described herein, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

A preferred embodiment of the protective cap (100) is shown in perspective in FIG. 1, with other views of this embodiment in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 4 shows is perspective of a tether (400) optionally used with the protective cap.

A protective cap (100) in accordance with the invention is for use on a free end of a stake projecting from a solid surface, such as the ground. The protective cap (100) may be used on a stake of any length and virtually any cross-sectional shape. The protective cap (100) fits over the diameter, or thickness and a width of the stake so as to provide a blunt end to the stake.

The preferred overall dimensions of the protective cap (100) are about 2 to 3 inches in height, more specifically about 2.5 inches, and an overall top area (112) of about 16 square inches. The top area (112) may be any shape, such as the oval shape shown in FIG. 1, and preferably is planar so as to maximize the impact area on a person accidentally falling on the protective cap (100) when installed on a vertical stake.

The components of the protective cap (100) are a base platform (110), a receiving collar (140), a secondary collar (120), reinforcing ribs (121), and a cover (130). Optional additional components are a plurality of metal clamps (150), a tether (400), and a shock absorber (510).

The base platform (110) is essentially a plate. The top area (112) of the protective cap (100) is the outer face of the base platform (110) when the protective cap (100) is placed on the stake. The base platform (110) may be configured with a notch (111) and/or a hole (213), preferably two notches on opposing sides and/or two holes on opposing sides. The notch (111) and/or hole (213) is used to hold a glow stick, flag or other attachment.

The receiving collar (140) extends from the base platform (110), preferably so that the receiving collar (140) forms a three-sided structure defining a volume that is open at one end to receive the stake and closed at the other end by the base platform (110).

In the preferred embodiment seen in FIG. 1, the receiving collar (140) has an approximate rectangular cross section and an enlarged central segment to accommodate a variety of stakes of rectangular, square and round or circular cross sections. In other embodiments, it may be configured with other cross-sectional shapes, such as ovate or square.

The receiving collar (140) is affixed to the base platform (110). The receiving collar (140) preferably extends to a distal point of about 2 to 3 inches from the base platform (110), more specifically about 2.5 inches from the base platform (110).

The receiving collar (140) may optionally be configured to define a horizontal hole (141), preferably two horizontal holes on opposite sides of the receiving collar (140) and located close to the open end, essentially, below the distal point. The horizontal hole (141) may be used with the tether (400) or wire twist tie to firmly affix the protective cap (100) to the stake.

The optional tether (400) is configured with conical segments (410) to pressure fit into at least one of the plurality of horizontal holes (141) and hold cap to the stake. A tether (400) may wrap around the stake and then each end may be inserted into one of the horizontal holes (141). The tether (400) may also have a tab (420) configured with a hole (421) in it to facilitate attachment to the stake, for example with a twist tie, screw or nail.

The secondary collar (120) surrounds the receiving collar (140) and extends from the base platform (110) to a second point below the distal point. The secondary collar (120) is preferably oval in cross-section, but may also take on other cross-sectional shapes that form a structure defining an internal volume surrounding most of the receiving collar (140).

The secondary collar (120) may optionally be configured to define a horizontal hole (122), preferably two horizontal holes on opposite sides of the secondary collar (120) and located close to the open end, essentially, below the second point. The horizontal hole (122) may be used with the tether (400) or wire twist tie to firmly affix the protective cap (100) to the stake.

The reinforcing ribs (121) extend between the receiving collar (140) and the secondary collar (120). The reinforcing ribs (121) are preferably vertical plates joining the receiving collar (140) and the secondary collar (120).

The cover (130) snaps on the open end of the receiving collar (140) and includes gripper teeth (131) to engage the stake when the protective cap (100) is placed on the stake. The gripper teeth (131) are an additional means to ensure that the protective cap (100) stays on the stake.

The metal clamps (150) are essentially pressure-fit spring clips that are configured to rotate against the stake and pressure fit against the stake when the protective cap is placed on the stake. Rotation may be achieved by inserting the ends (151) of a wire comprising the metal clamps (150) into a pivot hole in the reinforcing ribs (121) to form two pivot points about which each of the metal clamps (150) can rotate. The metal clamps (150) are an additional means to ensure that the protective cap (100) stays on the stake.

The shock absorber (510) is indicated within the dotted oval in FIG. 5. The shock absorber (510) operably connected at the bottom of the receiving collar (140) so that a person impacting on a stake with the protective cap (500) would depress the shock absorber (510) to dissipate the energy of the fall. The shock absorber (510) preferably comprises a top metal plate (543b) to spread the force of the impact over the area of the spring. The shock absorber (510) further preferably comprises a spring (542), which may be any elastic device, such as a coil of wire or spongy material that regains its original shape after being compressed or extended. Finally, the shock absorber (510) preferably comprises a bottom metal plate (543a) to spread the force of the impact over the bottom area of the protective cap (500).

The above-described embodiments including the drawings are examples of the invention and merely provide illustrations of the invention. Other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Thus, the scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention has application to the construction industry.

Claims

1. A protective cap for use on a stake at a free end projecting from a solid surface, the protective cap comprising:

a base platform comprising a plate forming the top of the protective cap when the protective cap is placed on the stake;

a receiving collar extending from the base platform, the receiving collar: comprising an open end at a distal point from the base; and, configured to receive the stake comprising a cross sectional shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, square, and round;

a secondary collar surrounding the receiving collar and extending from the base platform to second point below the distal point;

reinforcing ribs extending between the receiving collar and the secondary collar; and

a cover that snaps on the open end of the receiving collar comprising gripper teeth.

2. The protective cap of claim 1 further comprising a shock absorber operably connected at the bottom of the receiving collar, the shock absorber comprising a top metal plate, a spring, and a bottom metal plate.

3. The protective cap of claim 1 wherein the secondary collar is configured to define a horizontal hole below the second point.

4. The protective cap of claim 1 wherein the receiving collar is configured to define a second horizontal hole below the distal point.

5. The protective cap of claim 1 further comprising a tether configured with conical segments to pressure fit in at least one of the plurality of horizontal holes and hold cap to the stake.

6. The protective cap of claim 5 wherein the tether further comprises a tab configured to define hole.

7. The protective cap of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of metal clamps configured to rotate against the stake and pressure fit against the stake when the protective cap is placed on the stake.

8. The protective cap of claim 1 wherein the base platform is configured with a notch.

9. The protective cap of claim 1 wherein the base platform is configured with a hole.

10. The protective cap of claim 1 wherein the base platform has a surface area of at least sixteen square inches.

11. The protective cap of claim 1 wherein the distal point is about 2 to 3 inches from the base platform.