Patent US3669133A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3669133A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Collapsible rod
Assignee: HYCOR Inc
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Filing: 1971-06-08
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1991-06-08
Abstract
Abstract A collapsible rod structure adopted to be used as a cane, the structure comprises a plurality of tubular sections tethered together by a cord and separable to form a compact bundle.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Hyman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:53
CPC Classifications
A; A45; A45B; A45B9/00; A45B2009/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
261 words
A foldable rod comprising first and second end sections and a plurality of tubular sections, each of said tubular sections being flared at one end and tapered at the opposite end so that said tubular sections may be assembled end-to-end in telescopic engagement with each other, said first end section being tapered at one end to fit in and engage the flared portion of the adjacent tubular section and said second end section having a tapered hole to receive and seat the tapered end of the tubular section adjacent thereto, and a flexible non-stretchable cord for tethering and drawing together said end sections and said tubular sections, said cord extending through said tubular sections lengthwise with one end of said cord being secured within one of said end sections, and means carried by the other end section and connected to the other end of said cord for taking up slack in said cord to draw all of said sections together in end-to-end assembled relation, said last mentioned means comprising a toggle lever pivotally attached to said other end section and means on said toggle lever to which the other end of said cord is received, said toggle lever being moveable on its pivot between a first limit position in which said cord is slack and said tubular sections are separable and foldable into a bundle and a second limit position in which the slack in said cord is taken up and said cord is placed under tension sufficient to hold said end sections and tubular sections in said end-to-end assembled relation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
261 words
A foldable rod comprising first and second end sections and a plurality of tubular sections, each of said tubular sections being flared at one end and tapered at the opposite end so that said tubular sections may be assembled end-to-end in telescopic engagement with each other, said first end section being tapered at one end to fit in and engage the flared portion of the adjacent tubular section and said second end section having a tapered hole to receive and seat the tapered end of the tubular section adjacent thereto, and a flexible non-stretchable cord for tethering and drawing together said end sections and said tubular sections, said cord extending through said tubular sections lengthwise with one end of said cord being secured within one of said end sections, and means carried by the other end section and connected to the other end of said cord for taking up slack in said cord to draw all of said sections together in end-to-end assembled relation, said last mentioned means comprising a toggle lever pivotally attached to said other end section and means on said toggle lever to which the other end of said cord is received, said toggle lever being moveable on its pivot between a first limit position in which said cord is slack and said tubular sections are separable and foldable into a bundle and a second limit position in which the slack in said cord is taken up and said cord is placed under tension sufficient to hold said end sections and tubular sections in said end-to-end assembled relation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A rod according to claim 1 wherein said other end section is adapted to function as a handle so that said rod may be used as a cane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A rod according to claim 1 wherein said other end section has a longitudinally extending slot and said toggle lever is mounted so as to reside in said slot in each of said first and second limit positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A rod according to claim 3 wherein said cord extends into the interior of said other end section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A rod according to claim 1 wherein said toggle lever has a longitudinally extending channel defined by opposite side walls and a connecting wall, and said cord extends along said channel past the pivot axis of said toggle lever when said lever is in said second position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A rod according to claim 5 wherein said toggle lever is pivotally second to said other end section by a pair of pivot pins mounted in the opposite side walls of said lever.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A rod according to cLaim 1 wherein each of said tubular sections has the same wall thickness throughout its length.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
A rod according to claim 1 wherein the angle of taper at said tapered ends is the same as the angle of flare at said flared ends and the increase and decrease in radius at the flared and tapered ends respectively of said tubular sections is approximately the same as the wall thickness thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
A rod according to claim 1 wherein said tubular sections are identical.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
222 words
A foldable rod comprising first and second end sections, a plurality of tubular sections, and a flexible cord secured at it opposite ends to said first and second end sections and extending through said plurality of tubular sections, said tubular sections each having a flared portion at one end and a tapered portion at the opposite end, the interior and exterior surfaces of said flared and tapered end portions respectively extending at substantially the same angle to the center axis of said tubular sections so that said tubular sections may be assembled end-to-end with the flared portion of one section in telescopic engagement with the tapered portion of another section, the increase and decrease in radius of said tubular sections at said flared and tapered portions respectively being approximately equal to the wall thickness of said tubular sections, one of said end sections being tapered at one end to fit in and seat on the flared end portion of the adjacent tubular section and the other end section having a tapered hole to receive and seat the tapered end portion of the tubular section adjacent thereto, said cord having a length such as to hold said sections together in said end-to-end assembled relation and being elastic so as to permit said sections to be separated and folded together into a compact bundle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
222 words
A foldable rod comprising first and second end sections, a plurality of tubular sections, and a flexible cord secured at it opposite ends to said first and second end sections and extending through said plurality of tubular sections, said tubular sections each having a flared portion at one end and a tapered portion at the opposite end, the interior and exterior surfaces of said flared and tapered end portions respectively extending at substantially the same angle to the center axis of said tubular sections so that said tubular sections may be assembled end-to-end with the flared portion of one section in telescopic engagement with the tapered portion of another section, the increase and decrease in radius of said tubular sections at said flared and tapered portions respectively being approximately equal to the wall thickness of said tubular sections, one of said end sections being tapered at one end to fit in and seat on the flared end portion of the adjacent tubular section and the other end section having a tapered hole to receive and seat the tapered end portion of the tubular section adjacent thereto, said cord having a length such as to hold said sections together in said end-to-end assembled relation and being elastic so as to permit said sections to be separated and folded together into a compact bundle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A rod according to claim 10 wherein said interior and exterior surfaces of said flared and tapered end portions are inclined at an angle of about 5 degrees relative to said center axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A rod according to claim 10 wherein each of said plurality of tubular sections has the same wall thickness throughout its length.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A rod according to claim 10 wherein each of said tubular sections has the same diameter intermediate its flared and tapered end portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
129 words
A foldable rod comprising a plurality of tubular sections of which two are end sections and a flexible elastic cord extending in said tubular sections between anchorage means on said end sections, said tubular sections having interfitting flared and tapered end portions with the angle of flaring and tapering of said flared and tapered end portions respectively being about 5* with respect to the center axis of said sections and the maximum change in radius along said flared and tapered end portions being approximately the same as the wall thickness of said tubular sections, said cord having a length such as to normally hold said sections together in end-to-end interfitting relation and being sufficiently yieldable to permit said sections to be manually separated and folded into a compact bundle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
129 words
A foldable rod comprising a plurality of tubular sections of which two are end sections and a flexible elastic cord extending in said tubular sections between anchorage means on said end sections, said tubular sections having interfitting flared and tapered end portions with the angle of flaring and tapering of said flared and tapered end portions respectively being about 5* with respect to the center axis of said sections and the maximum change in radius along said flared and tapered end portions being approximately the same as the wall thickness of said tubular sections, said cord having a length such as to normally hold said sections together in end-to-end interfitting relation and being sufficiently yieldable to permit said sections to be manually separated and folded into a compact bundle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
248 words
A foldable rod-like structure comprising first and second end sections and a tubular section of substantially uniform wall thickness throughout its length, said tubular section terminating at one end in a flared end portion and at the other end in a tapered end portion, the radius of said flared end portion increasing linearly with increasing distance from said tapered end portion and the radius of said tapered end portion increasing linearly with increasing distance from said flared end portion, the maximum difference in radius along each of said flared and tapered end portions not exceeding approximately the wall thickness of said tubular member, said first end section having a tapered hole shaped and sized so as to receive and seat the tapered end portion of said tubular section and said second end section being tapered at one end to fit within and seat on the flared end portion of said tubular section, said seCtions being assembled end-to-end with said tapered end portion being seated in said tapered hole and said flared end section being seated on said tapered second end section, and an elastic cord extending through said tubular section with one end of said cord anchored within said first end section and the other end of said cord anchored within said second end section, said cord having a length such as to hold said sections together in assembled relation and being sufficiently elastic to permit said sections to be separated and folded together into a compact bundle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
248 words
A foldable rod-like structure comprising first and second end sections and a tubular section of substantially uniform wall thickness throughout its length, said tubular section terminating at one end in a flared end portion and at the other end in a tapered end portion, the radius of said flared end portion increasing linearly with increasing distance from said tapered end portion and the radius of said tapered end portion increasing linearly with increasing distance from said flared end portion, the maximum difference in radius along each of said flared and tapered end portions not exceeding approximately the wall thickness of said tubular member, said first end section having a tapered hole shaped and sized so as to receive and seat the tapered end portion of said tubular section and said second end section being tapered at one end to fit within and seat on the flared end portion of said tubular section, said seCtions being assembled end-to-end with said tapered end portion being seated in said tapered hole and said flared end section being seated on said tapered second end section, and an elastic cord extending through said tubular section with one end of said cord anchored within said first end section and the other end of said cord anchored within said second end section, said cord having a length such as to hold said sections together in assembled relation and being sufficiently elastic to permit said sections to be separated and folded together into a compact bundle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A foldable rod according to claim 15 wherein the angles of tapering and flaring of said tapered and flared end portions are each about 5 degrees measured with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubular section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2379577A
Cited
US2705015A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |