HEIGHT ADJUSTING SYSTEM FOR HIKING STICKS

Abstract

A powered hiking stick single button height adjustment mechanism.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This invention claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 120, to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/472,530 by Kier filed on 16 Mar. 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hiking accessories, specifically hiking sticks.

Description of the Related Art

Hikers sometimes use hiking sticks to aid in their hiking. Such sticks assist in balance and allow traveling effort to be shared by the upper body.

What is needed is a hiking stick that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available hiking sticks. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a height adjusting system for hiking sticks.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawing(s). It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are mere schematics representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. Understanding that these drawing(s) depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing(s), in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates section A (see FIG. 3) cut view of hydraulic hiking stick, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates section B (see FIG. 3) cut view of hydraulic hiking stick, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a 2D hiking stick layout showing section A and B, according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified layout of the hiking stick sections, according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing(s), and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Reference throughout this specification to an “embodiment,” an “example” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, or combinations thereof described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases an “embodiment,” an “example,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, to different embodiments, or to one or more of the figures. Additionally, reference to the wording “embodiment,” “example” or the like, for two or more features, elements, etc. does not mean that the features are necessarily related, dissimilar, the same, etc.

Each statement of an embodiment, or example, is to be considered independent of any other statement of an embodiment despite any use of similar or identical language characterizing each embodiment. Therefore, where one embodiment is identified as “another embodiment,” the identified embodiment is independent of any other embodiments characterized by the language “another embodiment.” The features, functions, and the like described herein are considered to be able to be combined in whole or in part one with another as the claims and/or art may direct, either directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly.

As used herein, “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “is,” “are,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising” is to be interpreted as including the more restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.”

A general overview of function:

FIG. 4 shows the main sections as being the hydraulic cylinder, the push button valve, and the sealed air and oil external container. Oil will generally flow from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side. The direction of the flow can be changed by the amount of weight the user puts on the hiking stick. By changing the force that is applied to the top of the hiking stick when it is upright, the pressure will go up or down which will determine the direction of the flow of the oil when the valve is open.

Description of How the Invention Operates/Functions:

When the user puts their body weight on the top of the hiking stick 3 when it is upright, it causes the second stage 20 of the hiking stick to transfer the force thru the metal tube 9 to push up against the mineral oil 11 inside the hydraulic cylinder 5, therefore, causing an increase of pressure. When the push button valve button 1 is pressed the mineral oil 11 flows thru the valve 19 and metal tube 12 to the lower pressure side container 16 outside of the hiking stick. By pushing more mineral oil 11 into the sealed exterior container 16 it causes the air 15 inside of the container 16 to be compressed. Once the user releases pressure on the push button valve button 1 the mineral oil 11 can no longer flow and prevents the mineral oil 11 to flow back into the hydraulic cylinder 5 which cause the stick to expand.

When the user desires to change the height of the hiking stick they push the button valve 1 without putting their body weight on the top of the hiking stick 3. That causes the pressure of the mineral oil in the exterior container 11 to rush thru the metal tube 12 and into the internal hydraulic cylinder 5. The force of the mineral oil 11 being exerted on the piston head 6 will cause the piston to expand and move downward. The force of the piston will be transferred thru the metal rod 9, then to the metal second stage adaptor 21, then to the hiking stick stage 2 screw adaptor 17, then to the hiking stick stage 2 plastic adaptor and then onto the stage 2 hiking stick tube 20. When the user has reached the desired height they release the pressure on the push button valve 1 and the hiking stick will once again lock in its position because the valve 19 will not allow the mineral oil 11 to flow into the external container 16 when pressure is put on the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder 9. Because of the difficulty in compressing mineral oil 11 the hiking stick will remain at that height even if you put pressure on the top part when the valve is closed.

IDENTIFICATION OF PARTS/COMPONENTS OF INVENTION

Reference Numeral—Descriptive Name for Part

• 1—Plastic push button
• 2—Plastic top valve cover
• 3—Plastic hiking stick handle
• 4—Push button valve adaptor
• 5—Hydraulic cylinder wall
• 6—Hydraulic cylinder piston head
• 7—Buna-N O-rings
• 8—Rollpin
• 9—Steel tube
• 10—Stage 1 of hiking stick tube
• 11—Mineral oil
• 12—⅛″ ID metal tube
• 13—External scaled container brass cap
• 14—Plastic tie-ring
• 15—Pressured air
• 16—External container metallic cylindrical wall
• 17—Hiking stick stage 2 screw adaptor
• 18—Hiking stick stage 2 plastic adaptor
• 19—Push button valve body
• 20—Stage 2 hiking stick tube
• 21—Metal adaptor
• 22—Rollpin
• 23—Hydraulic cylinder plastic alignment guide adaptor
• 24—Schrader valve cap
• 25—Schrader valve

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Adding the ability to change the height of a hiking stick with a simple push of a button.

Regular adjustable hiking sticks require the user to reach down to the bottom of each hiking sticks to adjust the height every time they are going up hill or down hill. When hiking at high elevations where oxygen and temperature levels are low, executing the most routine task become challenging. Advantageously, by using the illustrated/described hiking stick, a user may, by using their body weight to store energy in forms that include but is not limited to electricity, spring tension, mineral oil pressure or air pressure, the user can then access the energy to adjust the height of the hiking sticks with a simple push of a button.

Regular hiking sticks require the user adjust each hiking stick by more complex hand maneuvers. Currently, the user has to unscrew or unlatch each level of each hiking stick to achieve the desired height. When the user adjusts the height of the hiking stick they change the positioning of the hiking stick. Once the hiking stick is in the upright position ready for use it is often at the incorrect height and the user readjusts the hiking sticks.

Users of this invention include but are not limited to, those who spend time in the outdoors and hike in uneven terrain.

The new hiking stick will allow the user to change the height of the hiking stick with a simple push of a button. That saves the user precious time and energy when hiking at high elevations where temperature and oxygen levels tend to be low. Those conditions make it much more difficult to continue hiking due to quick exhaustion.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims. Further, it is contemplated that an embodiment may be limited to consist of or to consist essentially of one or more of the features, functions, structures, methods described herein.

Claims

1. A powered hiking stick single button height adjustment mechanism.