U.S. patent application number 10/917114 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-16 for specific connecting rod for traffic cones.
Invention is credited to Wen-Nan Kuo.
Application Number | 20060032426 10/917114 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35798790 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060032426 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kuo; Wen-Nan |
February 16, 2006 |
Specific connecting rod for traffic cones
Abstract
A specific connecting rod for traffic cones includes an outer
rod and an inner rod positioned in the outer rod to telescope
therein. The outer ends of the outer rod and of the inner rod are
respectively fixed with a socket with a ring fitting around a
traffic cone so that the connecting rod can be connected between
two traffic cones. The outer rod and the inner rod further
respectively have a stop ring fixed on their inner end to keep the
inner rod from falling out of the outer rod in telescoping to
adjust the whole length of the connecting rod. The light reflective
material on the outer surface of the outer rod and the inner rod is
never scarred by telescoping movement of the inner rod or by
placing the connecting rod on the ground, keeping intact the light
reflecting function of he connecting rod.
Inventors: |
Kuo; Wen-Nan; (Taliao Town,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KUO, WEN-NAN
P.O. BOX 2-10
TAINAN CITY
TW
|
Family ID: |
35798790 |
Appl. No.: |
10/917114 |
Filed: |
August 13, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
116/63P |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01F 13/02 20130101;
E01F 9/688 20160201; E01F 9/654 20160201 |
Class at
Publication: |
116/063.00P |
International
Class: |
E01F 9/00 20060101
E01F009/00 |
Claims
1. A specific connecting rod for traffic cones comprising: an inner
rod 2 having its outer surface coated with light reflective
material, a socket 22 fixed around an outer end 21 of said inner
rod 2 and having an inner end 220 and a ring 221 extending outward
from an outer end, said inner end 220 having a center hole 2200
fitting around said outer end of said inner rod 2 and fixed tightly
with a screw 2211; said inner rod having an inner end 23 connected
firmly with a stop ring 24 having a small diameter portion 240 and
a large diameter portion 241, said small diameter portion fitted in
the center hole of said inner end 23: and, an outer rod 3 having
its outer surface coated with light reflective material, a socket
32 fixed around an outer end 31 of said outer rod 3 and having an
inner end 320 and a ring 321 extending outward from an outer end,
said inner end 320 having a center hole 3200 to fit around said
outer end 31 and fixed tightly with a screw 3211; said outer rod 3
having an inner end 33 fixed with a stop ring 34, said stop ring 34
having a small diameter portion 340 and a large diameter portion
341, said large diameter 341 portion fitted around said inner end
33 of said outer rod 3.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a specific connecting rod for
traffic cones, particularly to one consisting of an inner rod and
an outer rod combined together to mutually telescope to adjust the
whole length of the connecting rod. The outer rod has a stop ring
in an inner end for stopping the inner rod from falling out, and
the stop ring cannot scar the reflective material coated on the
inner rod, and the reflective material coated on the outer rod
cannot be scarred when the connecting rod is placed on the ground.
So the specific connecting rod for traffic cones in the invention
always maintains good light reflecting effect.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A first conventional connecting rod for traffic cones shown
in FIGS. 1 and 3 includes an inner rod 10 and an outer rod 11 for
the inner rod 10 to extend therein to telescope so as to let the
length of the connecting rod adjustable. The inner rod 10 has a
fitting ring 100 connected with its outer end, and the outer rod 11
has a fitting ring 110 connected with its outer end for
respectively fitting around a traffic cone so as to connect two
traffic cones together for cordoning a region. The telescoping
function of the inner rod 10 with the outer rod 11 enables the
connecting rod convenient for storing, transporting, and packaging
and using. Further, the outer rod 11 has its outer end provided
with an stop ring 111 fitted in its inner wall, and the inner rod
10 has its inner end provided with an outer stop ring 101 so the
inner rod 10 may not fall out of the outer rod 11 by mutual
blocking of the two stop rings 101 and 110 when the inner rod 10 is
telescoped to the longest. Although the stop rings 101 and 110 have
its outer surface shaped convex as to not produce scar on the
reflective material on the outer surface of the inner rod 10, the
section where the inner end of the inner rod 10 abutting to the
inner end of the outer rod 11 may sag down owing to no supporters
when the inner rod 10 is telescoped to form the longest length of
the whole connecting rod as shown in FIG. 1. So the outer rod 11
may have the outer surface 103 of its inner end with any protective
means to touch the ground, and some section of the outer rod 11 may
touch the ground to produce some scar to the reflective material on
the outer surface of the rod 11, and the night-light reflective
effect may be reduced.
[0003] Another conventional connecting rod for traffic cones shown
in FIG. 2 includes an inner rod 13 and an outer rod 14 combined to
telescope mutually to let the length of the connecting rod
adjustable. The inner rod 13 has its inner end 130 shaped like a
trumpet, but the outer rod 14 has its inner end 141 shrunk to fit
closely around the inner rod 13, with the rest portion except the
inner end having a larger inner diameter than the outer diameter of
the inner rod 13. So the mutual contact of the inner end 130 with
the inner end 141 may stop the inner rod 13 from falling out of the
outer rod 14. But the disadvantage is that the inner end 141 is
sharp to produce scar to the reflective material 142 on the outer
surface of the inner rod 13 during telescoping to worsen the night
light reflective effect. Moreover, the inner end portion 143 of the
outer rod 14 has no protective means, so the reflective material on
the outer surface of the outer rod 14 may receive scar if the
connecting rod is placed directly on the ground as shown in FIG. 3.
In addition, the trumpet shape of the inner end of the inner rod 13
and the shrunk shape of the inner end of the outer rod 14 takes
time in their making process, slowing down the speed of
production.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The feature of the invention is an inner rod and an outer
rod combined to mutually telescope to form a specific connecting
rod for traffic cones. The inner and the outer rod respectively
have a stop ring provided at an inner end of a cross-section of an
inverted T-shape. The stop ring of the inner rod is positioned in
the inner surface, and that of the outer rod is positioned on an
outer surface to fit around the inner rod. So the stop rings of the
inner and the outer rod can keep the stability of the connecting
rod, whether they are telescoped to meet or not meet each
other.
[0005] One more feature of the invention is that the outer diameter
of the stop ring of the inner rod is equal to the inner diameter of
the outer rod, and the inner diameter of the small portion of the
stop ring is equal to the outer diameter of the inner rod.
Therefore, the center portion of the connecting rod can be kept
straight, not sagging down, even if the inner rod and the outer rod
are telescoped to form the longest length of the connecting
rod.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0006] This invention will be better understood by referring to the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a first
conventional connecting rod for traffic cones;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a second
conventional connecting rod for traffic cones;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a side view of the second conventional connecting
rod for traffic cones placed on the ground;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a specific
connecting rod for traffic cones in the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the specific
connecting rod for traffic cones in the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a magnified cross-sectional view of the part
marked (A) in FIG. 5;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the specific connecting rod
for traffic cones practically used in a first way in the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the specific connecting rod
for traffic cones practically used in a second way in the present
invention; and,
[0015] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the specific connecting rod
for traffic cones practically used in a third in the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] A preferred embodiment of a specific connecting rod for
traffic cones, as shown in FIG. 4, includes an inner rod 2 and an
outer rod 3 for the inner rod 2 to extend and telescope therein to
adjust the whole length of the specific connecting rod.
[0017] The inner rod 2 has its outer surface coated with a light
reflective material 20 of a comparatively stark brilliant color
such as red, orange, etc., and a socket 22 fixed on an inner end
and having a socket end 220 and a ring 221 extending outward from
the outer end of the socket 22. The center hole 2200 of the socket
inner end 220 fits around the outer end of the inner rod 2 and then
fixed tightly with a screw 2211 with the outer end 21 of the inner
rod 2. Then, the ring 221 can fit around a traffic cone 4 as shown
in FIG. 7. The inner end 23 of the inner rod 2 is fixed with a stop
ring 24 of a cross-section of an inverted T-shape, having a small
diameter portion 240 and a large diameter portion 241, with the
small diameter portion 240 fitted in a hole 230 of the inner end 23
as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0018] The outer rod 3 has its outer surface coated with light
reflective material 30 of a comparatively stark brilliant color
such as red, orange, etc., and a socket 32 with an outer end 320
and a ring 321 extending outward. The outer end 320 of the socket
32 has a center hole 3200 to fit around the outer end 31 of the
outer rod 3 and fixed tightly with a screw 3211. The ring 321 can
fit around a traffic cone 4 so as to connect the connecting rod
between two traffic cones 4, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 in
various ways. Further, the outer rod 3 has its inner end 31
connected with a stop ring 34 of a cross-section of an inverted
T-shape having a small diameter portion 340 and a large diameter
portion 341, with the large portion 341 fitting around the inner
end 33 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.
[0019] In assembling, the stop rings 24 and 34 are first combined
with the inner rod 2 and the outer rod 3, and then the inner rod 2
is inserted in the outer rod 3, with the outer end 21 of the inner
rod 2 extending through the hole 310 of the outer rod 3 as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6 and exposes out of the outer rod 3. Then the sockets
22 and 32 are respectively fixed around the inner end 23 of the
inner rod 2 and the inner end 33 of the outer rod 3, finishing
assembly of the connecting rod for traffic cones in the
invention.
[0020] Next, After the inner rod 2 telescopes in the outer rod 3,
the center portion of the connecting rod may not sag, but keep its
straightness even when the inner rod 2 telescopes to let the
connecting rod have the longest length, because the outer diameter
of the large portion 241 of the stop ring 24 is equal to the hole
310 of the outer rod 3, the outer diameter of the inner rod 2 is
equal to the inner diameter of the small portion 340, and the large
portion 241 and the small portion 340 both have a proper length. In
addition the connecting rod cannot touch the ground even it is
placed on the ground, without happening any problem of the light
reflective material of the connecting rod being scared. Moreover,
the contact portion 342 of the inner rod 2 and the outer rod 3 is
shaped curved, impossible to scar the light reflective material of
the inner and the outer rod 2 and 3 during telescoping the inner
rod 2 so as to keep intact the light reflecting function of the
connecting rod.
[0021] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described above, it will be recognized and understood that various
modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are
intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the
spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *