Trekking pole attachments for trash pickup and storage

Abstract

Attachments to trekking poles, hiking staffs, and the like, that facilitate picking up and storing objects, are disclosed. In preferred embodiments, the adjustable and modular nature of these attachments allows them to be compatible with most poles, and the attachments are designed to be easily added to or removed from poles without tools. Attachments that enable grabbing capabilities may include a trigger mounted near the handle of the pole and a grabber assembly threaded to the pole's basket threads. The attachments that enable storage capabilities may include a trigger mounted near the handle of the pole and a container assembly mounted below the trigger. In both cases, a string may mechanically link the trigger to the respective assembly, such that when the trigger is pressed with a finger, the respective assembly is actuated.

Description

TREKKING POLE ATTACHMENTS FOR TRASH PICKUP AND STORAGECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 556,318, filed on February 21, 2024, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 674,899, filed on July 24, 2024, which are both hereby incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full.BACKGROUND

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] Disclosed embodiments are intended to be used as attachments to poles, particularly, but not limited to, trekking poles, hiking staffs, and the like. When mounted to such poles, these attachments enable the pickup and storage of trash along hiking trails, beaches, and other natural spaces, though this functionality can be generalized to the pickup and storage of any objects of suitable size, weight, and shape. The collapsible rim and collapsible container embodiments described in this document can be generalized to other applications that may or may not involve poles. Furthermore, the disclosed involute clamping embodiments can be generalized to any other application that requires adjustable clamping capabilities.

[0004] Grabbing Capabilities of Prior Art

[0005] Hikers are well aware that natural trails are often littered with garbage, including paper, plastic, metal, and fabric debris. While tools exist to pick up trash at a reach, such as the tools outlined in U.S. Patent 4,962,957 (1990) to Traber or U.S. Patent 6,520,556 Bl (2003) to Hsu, this kind of tool has two primary disadvantages. First, it fails to provide stability to the user as they hike, much in the way that a trekking pole does. Second, this tool can be awkward for someone to use while hiking, since it does not directly do anything to assist with walking and instead adds weight and uses up a hand that could otherwise be used to hold other things. The truth is, many people would be unwilling to bring one of these existing trash grabber devices on a hike, simply because it would detract from their overall experience of being in nature. A testament to this statement is that hikers are seldom seen carrying trash grabber devices on trails, unless they are going into nature specifically for the purpose of cleaning up trash. However, many hikers enjoy hiking with trekking poles and hiking staffs, since it gives them stability while hiking and thus enhances theiroverall experience. Furthermore, trekking poles are commonly associated with hiking, so carrying them while hiking does not feel out of place in the way that a trash grabbing tool might.

[0006] Several devices exist that provide both walking stability and object-grabbing capabilities to the user. Aside from the walking device itself, these devices generally include two primary components: a trigger and a grabber arm. The trigger is positioned near the top of the walking device, such that it is close to the user’s hand, and the grabber arm is located near the bottom of the walking device. A string, guided by pulleys and the like, mechanically links these two components. When the user’s hand actuates the trigger, the grabber arm rotates in such a way that it comes into contact with the end of the walking device, creating two opposing surfaces with which an object can be grabbed.

[0007] Many of these prior-art devices are standalone devices, as opposed to something that fits onto an existing walking device. For example, U.S. Patent 5,392,800 (1995) to Sergi, U.S. Patent 5,636,650 (1997) to Kroeze, U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2009 / 0032077 Al (2009) from Hines, and U.S. Patent US 9,277,794 B2 (2016) to Moreau all depict a similar all-in-one walking cane with the aforementioned capabilities and components, with the strings and pulleys being internally mounted to the body of the cane. These capabilities could reasonably be integrated into a trekking pole, though doing so would add weight, complexity, and price.

[0008] Another product, called WalkGreen (sometimes referred to as a Hero Stick), entails a standard trash grabber, akin to U.S. Patent 6,520,556 Bl (2003) to Hsu, with a short pole pivotally mounted to the shaft of the trash grabber. WalkGreen is a standalone product with the functionality of both a trekking pole and a trash grabber. However, this tool is quite bulky to hike with and requires the user to manually reach down and rotate the short pole each time they want to switch from “hiking mode” to “grabbing mode” and vice versa.

[0009] Someone who already owns a walking device might prefer not to buy a new one with grabbing capabilities; therefore, it might be preferable to have a mechanism that attaches to an existing walking device, giving it grabbing capabilities. Such mechanisms have been applied to crutches and canes. U.S. Patent 6,550,490 Bl (2003) to Morton, U.S. Patent Application 2013 / 0257072 Al (2013) by Chrysler, and U.S. Patent US 10,413,026 Bl (2019) to Grivna all describe means by which a grabbing capability can be retrofitted to an existing cane or crutch. In the devices of Morton and Chrysler, the trigger and grabberarm are mounted completely independently from one another. There are three main disadvantages of these devices: (1) mounting them to a walking device is a nontrivial task and involves tools, such as screwdrivers and wrenches; (2) these devices are bulky and would be cumbersome if applied to a trekking pole, since trekking poles are generally lightweight; and (3) these devices could not be straightforwardly mounted to a trekking pole, because trekking poles typically have features near the tip that are intended for mounting snow or mud baskets, and these features would interfere with the clamping methods described in the prior art.

[0010] In summary, to the inventor’s knowledge, there does not currently exist a device that mounts to a trekking pole, giving it grabbing capabilities while also being compact, lightweight, and easy to install without tools.

[0011] Clamping Capabilities of Prior Art

[0012] C-clamps, such as the one described by U.S. Patent 1,549,567 (1925) to Baldwin, are well understood and commonly used by engineers, carpenters, handymen, etc. Variations on this design have been developed to enable clamping to poles by using a V- shaped surface on one side of the clamp and a screw, with an optional thrust plate attached, on the other. Including a thrust plate provides the benefit of a greater clamping surface area, which provides better clamping and is less damaging to the clamped object than if the screw end directly contacts said clamped object. U.S. Patent 4,844,397 (1988) to Skakoon and U.S. Patent 10,738,808 B2 (2018) to Pryor show examples of this type of pole clamp, which have the primary application of supporting medical equipment via mounting features, such as threaded holes and the like, built into the body of the clamp.

[0013] Another variant of adjustable pole clamps is the kind commonly used for mounting cameras and other gear to poles, including bike handlebars and seat posts. Examples include U.S. Patent 10,365,545 B2 (2019) to Really Right Stuff, LLC and U.S. Patent D798, 940 S (2017) to GoPro, Inc.

[0014] The referenced pole clamp designs of the prior art can fit onto poles of a predetermined range of diameters and can be reasonably tightened without the need of tools.

[0015] Storage Capabilities of Prior Art

[0016] There are many prior art examples of containers designed to mount to poles. U.S. Patent 3,255,913 (1966) to Helm, 5,299,720 (1994) to Koch, III, and 6,338,419 Bl (2002) to Penney all generally describe a container with “C” shaped clamping features thatdeform around a pole to clamp to it. Containers with specific application to trekking poles are difficult to find; however, one example is a fabric pouch that mounts to a trekking pole as described by U.S. Patent Application US 2010 / 0031985 Al by Decesari.

[0017] Containers with hinged lids are also quite common, with the most relevant example being household trash bins. U.S. Patent 10,906,738 B2 to Barry (2021) describes a trash can with an auto-locking latch assembly, such that the lid cannot open unless the user pushes a pedal to undo the latch and rotate the lid open.

[0018] While these devices exist independently in the prior art, they, to the inventor’s knowledge, have never been combined to create an auto-locking bin assembly that mounts to a trekking pole.

[0019] When using a bag to collect litter, a common challenge is to hold the bag open while simultaneously loading litter in. There are many examples of prior art in which a frame, often shaped like a hoop, is attached to the perimeter of a bag’s opening to hold it open. Some people use simple embroidery hoops to hold open grocery bags, whereas others use more sophisticated devices, such as the Garbo Grabber Trash Bagger device depicted in U.S. patent D657,107 S (2012) to Fitzpatrick and Goodrich, which may include an ergonomic handle for holding with a hand. However, to the inventor’s knowledge, the prior art does not contain any examples that are reasonably similar, in nature or in function, to the collapsible container embodiments described later in the present document.SUMMARY

[0020] In an embodiment, a grabber assembly, for a pole that comprises basket threads, comprises: a mounting apparatus comprising an internal aperture around a longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus, wherein an inner surface of the internal aperture comprises circumferential threads that are configured to mate with the basket threads of the pole; and a grabber arm pivotally mounted to the mounting apparatus.

[0021] The mounting apparatus may comprise a mount and an insert, wherein the insert is removably inserted within the mount along the longitudinal axis so as to be concentric with the mount and torsionally coupled to the mount about the longitudinal axis, wherein the insert comprises the inner aperture, and wherein the grabber arm is pivotally mounted to the mount.

[0022] A length of the grabber arm may be adjustable. The grabber arm may comprise: a base; a body that slides along the base to extend or retract to each of a plurality ofpositions; and a fixing mechanism that impermanently fixes a position of the body, relative to the base, at any one of the plurality of positions. The body may comprise a plurality of teeth, wherein each adjacent pair of the plurality of teeth are separated by a gap, representing one of the plurality of positions, wherein the base comprises the fixing mechanism, and wherein the fixing mechanism comprises a clip that is rotatable into and out of each gap.

[0023] The grabber arm may be biased to pivot in one rotational direction around a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

[0024] The grabber assembly may further comprise: a grabber clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the pole; and a grabber trigger pivotally mounted to the grabber clampable trigger assembly. The grabber assembly may further comprise a grabber string connecting the grabber trigger to the grabber arm, such that, when the grabber assembly is mounted to the pole, the grabber string biases the grabber trigger towards a first position and pivoting of the grabber trigger from the first position to a second position pulls an end of the grabber string which causes the grabber arm to pivot in a rotational direction. The grabber trigger may further comprise a cam contact wall and a rotatable toothed cam that is biased towards a closed position in which the rotatable toothed cam presses the grabber string against the cam contact wall, to thereby lock the grabber string in place relative to the grabber trigger.

[0025] In an embodiment, a system comprises: the grabber assembly configured to be mounted on a first pole; and a container assembly configured to be mounted on a second pole, wherein the container assembly comprises a container clamp configured to clamp to the second pole, and a container connected to the container clamp. The container assembly may further comprise: a container clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the second pole; and a container trigger pivotally mounted to the container clampable trigger assembly.

[0026] The container may comprise a lid, wherein the container assembly further comprises a container string connecting the container trigger to the lid, such that, when the container assembly is mounted to the second pole, the container string biases the container trigger towards a first position, the lid is biased towards a closed state, and pivoting of the container trigger from the first position to a second position pulls an end of the container string to rotate the lid from the closed state to an open state. In an embodiment, the container may further comprise a latch that, when in a locked position, locks the lid in the closedstate, wherein pulling the end of the container string further moves the latch from the locked position to an unlocked position, and wherein releasing the end of the container string moves the latch from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0027] The container may comprise a collapsible rim, wherein the container assembly further comprises a container string connecting the container trigger to one or more components of the collapsible rim, such that, when the container assembly is mounted to the second pole, the container string biases the container trigger towards a first position, the collapsible rim is biased towards a closed state, and pivoting of the container trigger from the first position to a second position pulls a first end of the container string to expand the collapsible rim from the closed state to an open state. The container may further comprise a bag with a closed end and an open end, wherein the open end of the bag is fastened to the collapsible rim. The collapsible rim may comprise: a linkage base having a first side and a second side; a first aft rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first aft rim link is pivotally connected to the first side of the linkage base; a second aft rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second aft rim link is pivotally connected to the second side of the linkage base; a first fore rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first fore rim link is pivotally connected to the second end of the first aft rim link; and a second fore rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second fore rim link is pivotally connected to the second end of the second aft rim link, and wherein the second end of the second fore rim link is pivotally connected to the second end of the first fore rim link. The first aft rim link may be biased to pivot in a first rotational direction relative to the linkage base, wherein the second aft rim link is biased to pivot in a second rotational direction relative to the linkage base, wherein the second rotational direction is opposite the first rotational direction, wherein a second end of the container string, opposite the first end of the container string, is attached to one or both of the first aft rim link or the second aft rim link, such that, when the first end of the container string is pulled by the pivoting of the container trigger from the first position to the second position, the first aft rim link pivots in the second rotational direction and the second aft rim link pivots in the first rotational direction. In the closed state, the collapsible rim may enclose a U-shaped or V- shaped space in plan view.

[0028] Each of one or both of the grabber clampable trigger assembly and the container clampable trigger assembly may comprise: a main body configured to surround at least aportion of a respective pole from the first and second poles; an involute clamping member comprising a contact surface and a clamping surface that is opposite the contact surface, wherein the involute clamping member is pivotally connected to the main body; and a screw, inserted through the main body, to contact the contact surface of the involute clamping member, such that tightening of the screw presses the clamping surface of the involute clamping member against the respective pole. The main body may comprise a concave surface configured to face the respective pole, opposite the clamping surface of the involute clamping member, such that tightening of the screw fixes the respective pole between the clamping surface of the involute clamping member and the concave surface of the main body. The main body and the involute clamping member may be formed from plastic, wherein each of the one or both of the grabber clampable trigger assembly and the container clampable trigger assembly comprises at least one metal stiffening member extending through at least a portion of the main body along an axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the screw.

[0029] In an embodiment, a kit, for a first pole and a second pole, comprises: a grabber system that comprises a mounting apparatus comprising an internal aperture around a longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus, wherein an inner surface of the internal aperture comprises circumferential threads that are configured to mate with the basket threads of the first pole, a grabber arm pivotally mounted to the mounting apparatus, a grabber clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the first pole, a grabber trigger pivotally mounted to the grabber clampable trigger assembly, and a grabber string configured to connect the grabber trigger to the grabber arm; and a container system that comprises a container clamp configured to clamp to the second pole, a container connected to the container clamp, a container clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the second pole, a container trigger pivotally mounted to the container clampable trigger assembly, and a container string configured to connect the container trigger to one or more components of the container that are configured to transition the container between an open state and a closed state.

[0030] It should be understood that any of the components and / or features described above and elsewhere herein may be used alone or in combination with any of the other components and / or features described above and elsewhere herein. Thus, the fact that one component may be discussed in connection with another component or is related to another component does not mean that those components must be used in combination. Forexample, one or more of the components may be attached to something other than a pole, or may be used as a standalone (e.g., handheld) device by attaching the component to, or integrating the component with, a handle.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Components are numbered according to a convention in which the hundreds digit refers to the main subassembly that the component belongs to. A thousands digit is used to differentiate between alternative embodiments. A “1” in the ten-thousands digit indicates that the embodiment relates to the collapsible container embodiments described herein. In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.

[0032] Fig. 1 shows an example of a full assembly of a combination of first embodiments, including a trekking pole enabled with grabbing capabilities (left) and a second trekking pole enabled with storage capabilities (right) according to various embodiments described herein.

[0033] Figs. 2Ato 2D show various views of a typical trekking pole, where Fig. 2C is a non-section, exploded view of Fig. 2D.

[0034] Figs. 3 A to 3C show perspective and exploded views of an example clampable trigger assembly according to various embodiments described herein.

[0035] Figs. 4A to 4D show orthogonal and section views of an example clampable trigger assembly according to various embodiments described herein.

[0036] Fig. 5 shows a diagram and relevant equations to create a curve geometry that may be used to shape an involute clamping member according to various embodiments described herein.

[0037] Figs. 6Ato 6C depict the same section view as Fig. 4A, except with the involute clamping member in different orientations, demonstrating how the involute clamping member can be used to adjustably clamp onto a cylindrical object according to various embodiments described herein.

[0038] Figs. 7A to 7C show perspective views of an example grabber extender, both assembled and exploded, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0039] Figs. 8Ato 8D show various perspective views of an example adjustable grabber arm according to various embodiments described herein.

[0040] Figs. 9A to 9C demonstrate, in chronological order, how the example grabber arm embodiment of Figs. 8Ato 8D can be adjusted to a different length according to various embodiments described herein.

[0041] Figs. lOA to 10C show orthogonal and detail views of an example adjustable grabber arm, highlighting specific preferred geometries that allow its locking mechanism to work according to various embodiments described herein.

[0042] Figs. 11 A to 11D show various views of an example grabber mount with a grabber mount insert installed according to various embodiments described herein.

[0043] Figs. 12Ato 12D depict an example of a complete grabber assembly according to various embodiments described herein.

[0044] Figs. 13A to 13B show orthogonal and section views of an example grabber assembly installed onto the bottom of a trekking pole according to various embodiments described herein.

[0045] Figs. 14Ato 14C illustrate orthogonal and section views of an example trekking pole that is fully assembled with grabbing-enabling components according to various embodiments described herein.

[0046] Figs. 15A to 15C show the same section view as Fig. 14C, except with the grabbing mechanism at different orientations: open, partially rotated, and closed, respectively.

[0047] Fig. 15D is a detail view of Fig. 15 A, showing how a knotted string can be connected to a grabber assembly according to various embodiments described herein.

[0048] Figs. 16A and 16B show a close-up perspective view of an example clampable trigger assembly installed to a trekking pole with a string attached, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0049] Fig. 17 shows an orthogonal side view of an example grabbing-enabled trekking pole that depicts the motion of relevant components during use, as an object is grabbed, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0050] Figs. 18A and 18B show how the grabber arm can be reconfigured to different lengths according to different trekking pole setups, such that the end of the grabber arm is preferably always able to be moved in close contact with the end of the trekking pole, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0051] Figs. 19A to 19C illustrate perspective and exploded views of an example container clamp with no container installed, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0052] Figs. 20A and 20B depict the installation of an example latch onto an example container lid according to various embodiments described herein.

[0053] Figs. 21A and 21B depict the installation of an example container lid onto an example container body according to various embodiments described herein.

[0054] Figs. 22A and 22B show the installation of an example container body onto an example container clamp via screws, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0055] Fig. 23 illustrates an example trekking pole that is equipped with components that may enable a user to conveniently store items according to various embodiments described herein.

[0056] Figs. 24A and 24B show orthogonal and section views of an example storage- enabled trekking pole according to various embodiments described herein.

[0057] Figs. 25 A to 25C represent the same section view as Fig. 24B except at different positions, showing, in respective chronological order, how a container can be unlocked and opened by pulling upward on a string according to various embodiments described herein.

[0058] Fig. 25D shows a detail view from Fig. 25 A that includes a close-up view of an example container latching mechanism according to various embodiments described herein.

[0059] Fig. 26 illustrates the same section view as Fig. 24B except in a particular case where the string is abruptly released after the container is opened, demonstrating how the container may still be able to successfully close and relock itself, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0060] Fig. 27 illustrates an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of an example clampable trigger assembly, which has a built-in cam locking mechanism, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0061] Figs. 28 A and 28B show perspective views of the embodiment of the clampable trigger assembly of Fig. 27.

[0062] Figs. 29A and 29B illustrate the assembled cam-locking trigger of Fig. 27, depicting the cam’s open state in Fig. 29A and its closed state in Fig. 29B.

[0063] Figs. 30A to 30C illustrate an alternative embodiment of a clampable trigger assembly that includes an alternative clamping mechanism according to various embodiments described herein.

[0064] Figs. 31A and 3 IB illustrate an alternative embodiment of a grabber arm assembly that has teeth on the opposite side as compared with the first embodiments of Figs. 8Ato 10C according to various embodiments described herein.

[0065] Figs. 32A to 32C show, in chronological order, an example of how the embodiment of Fig. 3 IB can be adjusted to a different length.

[0066] Figs. 33A and 33B show an orthogonal and section view, respectively, of the embodiment of Fig. 3 IB.

[0067] Figs. 34A to 34D illustrate an alternative embodiment of a grabber arm assembly, containing a rotating adjustment clip that locks the grabber extender body into different positions according to various embodiments described herein.

[0068] Fig. 35A shows an orthogonal view of the embodiment of Fig. 34B.

[0069] Figs. 35B to 35D show, in chronological order, an example of how the embodiment of Fig. 34B can be adjusted to a different length.

[0070] Figs. 36A to 36C illustrate an alternative embodiment of a grabber arm assembly, containing a rotating adjustment clip that locks the grabber extension body into different positions according to various embodiments described herein.

[0071] Figs. 37A and 37B show perspective and orthogonal views of the grabber base of Figs. 36Ato 36C.

[0072] Fig. 37C shows a detail view of Fig. 37B that highlights the geometries of two locking teeth and the gap between them, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0073] Fig. 38A shows an orthogonal view of the embodiments of Fig. 36Ato 36C.

[0074] Figs. 38B to 38D show, in chronological order, an example of how the embodiment of Fig. 36A can be adjusted to a different length.

[0075] Figs. 39A to 39C illustrate an alternative embodiment of a grabber base with integral internal thread geometry, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0076] Figs. 40Ato 40D show an alternative embodiment of a grabber arm as a single part without adjustment capabilities, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0077] Figs. 41A to 41D show an alternative embodiment of a grabber mount assembled with a grabber mount insert, wherein the spline geometry is restricted only to the bottom end of each component, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0078] Figs. 42A and 42B illustrate the assembly of an alternative container clamp embodiment, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0079] Figs. 43A and 43B illustrate exploded and perspective views of an example collapsible rim assembly embodiment, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0080] Figs. 44A and 44B show the collapsible rim assembly embodiment of Figs. 43 A and 43B with its linkage assembly at different positions, including closed, partially open, and open, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0081] Figs. 45A and 45B show orthogonal (i.e. “plan”) and section views of the collapsible rim assembly embodiment of Figs. 43 A and 43B with strings installed, detailing the actuation mechanism for opening and closing the rim, with the assembly in its closed position, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0082] Figs. 46A and 46B show orthogonal and section views of the collapsible rim assembly embodiment of Figs. 43 A and 43B with strings installed, detailing the actuation mechanism for opening and closing the rim, with the assembly in its closed position, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0083] Figs. 47A and 47B show the same orthogonal and section views as Figs. 46A and 46B, respectively, except with the collapsible rim assembly in its open position, rather than closed, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0084] Figs. 48A, 48B, and 48C show perspective views of an example collapsible container assembly embodiment attached near the center of a trekking pole, with the collapsible container assembly in its closed, partially open, and open position, respectively, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0085] Fig. 49 shows a perspective view of an example collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole embodiment, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0086] Figs. 50A, 50B, and 50C show the collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole embodiment of Fig. 49, illustrating how the rotation of the trigger may cause the collapsible container assembly to transition from closed, to partially open, to open, respectively, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0087] Fig. 51 details an alternative embodiment of a collapsible container assembly, in which the bag contains one or more pockets for storing tweezers or other grabbing utensils, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0088] Fig. 52 A illustrates an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of an aft rim link, in which linkage locking capabilities and bag insert holding capabilities have been added, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0089] Fig. 52B shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a linkage base, which contains a locking notch geometry on both sides, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0090] Fig. 52C shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a collapsible rim assembly, incorporating the embodiments of Figs. 52A and 52B to obtain linkage locking capabilities and bag insert holding capabilities, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0091] Fig. 53 A illustrates an example handheld linkage base embodiment, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0092] Fig. 53B details the attachment of an example trigger and example pulley onto the example linkage base embodiment of Fig. 53 A, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0093] Fig. 53C shows an example embodiment of a handheld collapsible rim assembly, assembled from the exploded components shown in Fig. 53B and further including one or more string components, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0094] Figs. 54A, 54B, and 54C illustrate an example handheld collapsible container, comprising the handheld collapsible rim assembly of Fig. 53C, in a closed, partially open, and open state, respectively, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0095] Figs. 55A and 55B illustrate an alternative embodiment for a grabber assembly that comprises a linkage assembly, according to various embodiments described herein.

[0096] Figs. 56A to 56C show a cross section, akin to Figs. 15A to 15C, of a trekking pole equipped with the grabber assembly embodiment of Figs. 55A and 55B, detailing how when the string is pulled, the grabber arm moves from its open position to a closed position, in which it contacts the end of the trekking pole, according to various embodiments described herein.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0097] A combination of attachments to a trekking pole enables the trekking pole to either grab objects at a reach or store objects in a container attached to the trekking pole. In either case, the grabbing functionality and the opening and closing of the container may be actuated by a convenient trigger located near the handle of the trekking pole. As such, if a person hikes with a trekking pole in each hand, one trekking pole with grabbing capabilities and the other with storage capabilities, the person can conveniently grab and store objects without having to significantly move their hands from the trekking pole handles. Some users may also opt to hike with just one trekking pole that has grabber or storage capabilities. In an embodiment, the trekking pole attachments are easy to install without tools and are lightweight and low-profile, such that they do not inhibit the functionality of the trekking poles they attach to. Various embodiments of the attachments are adjustable such that they can fit onto a wide range of trekking poles from different manufacturers, accounting for differing geometries of poles and basket threads. In addition to various aspects of the grabber, container, and trigger embodiments, some means of mounting these embodiments to a trekking pole in an adjustable manner are also disclosed.

[0098] While disclosed embodiments will generally be described herein as being used with a trekking pole, it should be understood that many of the disclosed embodiments may be utilized with any type of pole. Thus, usage of the term “trekking” should not be understood to preclude the use of disclosed embodiments with other types of poles, including walking sticks or canes, ski poles, mountaineering poles, trail-running poles, snowshoe poles, Nordic walking poles, specialty poles, shepherd’s crooks or staffs, paddles (e.g., for a boat, canoe, kayak, etc.), bow staffs, javelins, spears, umbrellas, crutches, flag poles, and the like. In addition, disclosed embodiments do not necessarily require the use of two poles or the use of all attachments described herein. For example, embodiments may comprise both a grabber assembly and a container assembly, just a grabber assembly, or just a container assembly. Furthermore, certain embodiments may be used without any pole, as standalone devices.

[0099] In preferred embodiments, all standard hardware components (screws, nuts, springs, pins, etc.) may be made of steel. All other components, in preferred embodiments, may be made of plastic. In other embodiments, components may be made from or may comprise any other suitable material or combinations of materials. While the presentsection describes some specific examples of how components may be assembled together, in other embodiments, any other suitable coupling device or method may be used to couple these components together.

[0100] FIRST EMBODIMENT

[0101] This section of the present document describes a first embodiment of one or more components. This section is not intended to limit the possibility of other embodiments, or to require an embodiment that comprises all of the described components. This section is divided into subsections that are intended to make it easier for the reader to follow along.

[0102] A full assembly of Trekking Pole Attachments for Trash Pickup and Storage is illustrated by Fig. 1. Trekking pole 502 is equipped with components that enable it to behave as a grabber tool, which, altogether, makes it a grabbing-enabled trekking pole assembly 600. Trekking pole 504 is equipped with components that enable it to store items, which, altogether, makes it a storage-enabled trekking pole assembly 700.

[0103] Common Trekking Poles

[0104] To understand the embodiments of the claimed components, the main common features of a trekking pole, hiking staff, and the like, which are treated herein as prior art, will first be described. Fig. 2A depicts a typical trekking pole 500, which includes a handle 500A and a pole section 500B that often comprises multiple pole segments, commonly made of hollow aluminum tubing. The pole segments of an example trekking pole may vary between 14 to 18 millimeters (approximately 0.55 to 0.71 inches) in diameter, though other sizes are possible for other trekking poles. The length of a trekking pole is typically adjustable via the telescoping of said pole segments, and the length is usually adjusted such that the handle 500A is near the user’s abdomen when the trekking pole is oriented vertically with the bottom end of it on touching the ground.

[0105] Fig. 2C shows the region near the end of this trekking pole 500, which comprises a shoulder 500C and basket threads 500D, typically made of plastic, that allow snow baskets, mud baskets, and the like to be mounted for use in different terrains. Also illustrated is trekking pole tip 500E and an optional tip cover 500F, usually made of rubber, which is pressed onto the end of the trekking pole and held in place by friction and normal force from the ground while walking.

[0106] Throughout the present disclosure, trekking pole 502 will be used to refer to the trekking pole of grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600, and trekking pole 504 will be used torefer to the trekking pole of storage-enabled trekking pole 700. However, it may be presumed that trekking poles 502 and 504 are identical in nature to the described example trekking pole 500.

[0107] Clampable Trigger Assembly

[0108] Figs. 3 A to 3C depict an example embodiment of a clampable trigger assembly 100A. Embodiments of clampable trigger assembly 100A may employ any kind of method that enables it to clamp or otherwise mount to a trekking pole 502, but the first embodiment uses an involute clamping mechanism, described herein.

[0109] As seen in Figs. 3A to 3C, a trigger 116, pulley 120, and involute clamping member 104 may be pivotally mounted to a main body 102 via pins 118, 122, and 106, respectively. A square nut 110 may be inserted into rectangular cutout 102B in main body 102, and thumb screw 108 may be threaded into square nut 110. Screws 112 and nuts 114 may be fastened together through holes in the clampable trigger assembly’s main body 102 to improve the stiffness of the main body 102, especially if main body 102 is made of a relatively soft material, such as plastic. Preferably, hexagonally-shaped cutouts 102A in the main body 102 constrain the rotation of nuts 114.

[0110] In Fig. 3 A, 116C refers specifically to the actuation surface of trigger 116, which is the region where the user is intended to press the trigger with their hand during use. 116D refers to the trigger’s string guide, and 116E refers to the trigger’s string guide cover.

[0111] In Fig. 3B, 102C refers to the concave or “V-shaped” surface of the clampable trigger assembly’s main body 102.

[0112] In Fig. 3C, 102D refers to the trigger flange of the trigger clamp’s main body 102

[0113] Figs. 4A to 4D show more views of clampable trigger assembly 100A. In Fig. 4A, 104A refers to the concave screw contact surface of involute clamping member 104, and 104B refers to the convex clamping surface of involute clamping member 104. Furthermore, 104C refers to the actuation arm of involute clamping member 104.

[0114] Figs. 3 A to 3C and Figs. 4A to 4D depict an embodiment of a fully assembled clampable trigger assembly 100A. In preferred embodiments, thumb screw 108, when rotated, pushes into involute clamping member 104. The involute clamping member 104 is preferably shaped such that both opposing surfaces — the concave screw contact surface 104A and the convex clamping surface 104B, as indicated in Fig. 4A — follow the curve drawn in Fig. 5, where the “pivot point” refers to the point that the involute clampingmember 104 rotates about, and the “screw axis” refers to the axis of the thumb screw 108. The curve of Fig. 5 includes a straight line of length Ro followed by an involute curve, tangent to said straight line, that follows the involute geometry defined by the equations of Fig. 5. The curve of Fig. 5, and any curve normally offset to it, will always perpendicularly intersect the screw axis when said curve is rotated clockwise about the pivot point. Shaping the involute clamping member 104 according to this curve, or a normal offset to this curve, ensures that when involute clamping member 104 rotates about its pivot point, its concave screw contact surface 104A and convex clamping surface 104B will always be normal to the screw axis. Thus, when clampable trigger assembly 100A is clamped to a cylindrical object, the screw will always apply a force normal to the concave screw contact surface 104A, and the convex clamping surface 104B of involute clamping member 104 will always provide a force normal to the surface of the clamped cylindrical object, even as the diameter of the cylindrical object varies.

[0115] Figs. 6A to 6C show the same section view as Fig. 4A, but with the involute clamping member 104 rotated by different amounts and with the described curve geometry, depicted with phantom lines, overlaid for clarity. These figures demonstrate how, when a cylindrical object is clamped between the involute clamping member 104 and the V-shaped surface 102C of the clamp’s main body 102, convex clamping surface 104B of involute clamping member 104 contacts the cylindrical object normal to its surface, even when the diameter of said cylindrical object varies. Furthermore, thumb screw 108 always applies a force normal to the concave screw contact surface 104A. For the first embodiments, the cylindrical object being clamped by clampable trigger assembly 100A in Figs. 6A to 6C may be interpreted to be pole section 500B of trekking pole 502.

[0116] For the embodiments of Figs. 3 A to 4D and 6A to 6C, the clamp’s main body 102, involute clamping member 104, square nut 110, and thumb screw 108 constitute a means for adjustable clamping to cylindrical objects of a predetermined range of diameters. While the size range of capable clamping is finite, the clampable trigger assembly components described herein can be sized and shaped to accommodate different size ranges of interest.

[0117] To attach clampable trigger assembly 100A to the pole section 500B of trekking pole 502 (or to any other cylindrical object of suitable diameter), one can first loosen thumb screw 108 by hand so that involute clamping member 104 can retract, leaving an opening for trekking pole 502 to enter from the side. It may be necessary to rotate involute clampingmember 104 out of the way by hand, which can be done by pushing on the actuation arm 104C of involute clamping member 104, as best seen in Fig. 4A. Once trekking pole 502 is in place, one can tighten thumb screw 108 by hand until the clampable trigger assembly is secured in place. The result is depicted in Figs. 16A and 16B. As such, this embodiment of clampable trigger assembly 100A may be quickly and easily attached to a trekking pole or similar walking device, in a way that requires no additional tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.). If trigger clamp 100A is too slippery with respect to trekking pole 502, one or more layers of fabric tape, rubber, or similar can be applied to trekking pole 502 or to the clamping surfaces of trigger clamp 100A to provide extra friction.

[0118] Essentially, clampable trigger assembly 100A is configured to clamp to the pole, and trigger 116 is pivotally mounted to clampable trigger assembly 100A. Clampable trigger assembly 100A may comprise a main body 102 configured to surround at least a portion of a respective pole, an involute clamping member 104 comprising a contact surface 104A and a clamping surface 104B that is opposite the contact surface 104A, wherein the involute clamping member 104 is pivotally connected to the main body 102, and a screw 108, inserted through the main body 102, to contact the contact surface 104A of the involute clamping member 104, such that tightening of the screw 108 presses the clamping surface 104B of the involute clamping member 104 against the respective pole. The main body 102 may comprise a concave surface 102C configured to face the respective pole, opposite the clamping surface 104B of the involute clamping member 104, such that tightening of the screw 108 fixes the respective pole between the clamping surface 104B of the involute clamping member 104 and the concave surface 102C of the main body 102.

[0119] Grabber Assembly

[0120] Figs. 7Ato 7C depict an example embodiment of an assembled grabber extender 226. In preferred embodiments, pins 204 and 206 are tightly press-fitted into grabber extender body 202 such that they protrude equally on both sides of grabber extender body 202, which may be made of a lightweight metal, such as aluminum, or other suitable material. Grabber tip 203 may be fastened to grabber extender body 202 via screw 210 and nut 212 and rotatably constrained by pin 206. Fig. 8A shows the assembled grabber extender 226 of Fig. 7B mechanically linked to a grabber base 214 via pin 208, which may be tightly secured to grabber extender body 202 by friction such that it protrudes equally on both sides of grabber extender body 202. Pin 209 may be press-fitted into grabber base214. The assembly of these components results in grabber arm 250, as shown in Figs. 8A to 8D.

[0121] In Fig. 8B, 214E refers to the spring cutout geometry of grabber base 214, and 214F refers to the slot geometry of grabber base 214. In Fig. 10B, 214A refers to the stiffening member of grabber base 214. In Fig. 10C, 214B refers to a single tooth of grabber base 214, and 214C and 214D refer to protrusions on either side of the gap 214G between two teeth 214B.

[0122] Figs. 9Ato 9C illustrate how the described example embodiment of grabber arm 250 may be adjusted in length by a user. First, as shown in Fig. 9A, the user may use their hand to push grabber extender 226 of Fig. 7B in the direction depicted by the curved arrow, which dislodges pin 204 from its respective teeth 214B in grabber base 214. Next, as illustrated by Fig. 9B, the user slides the grabber extender 226 along the slot 214F of grabber base 214. Lastly, once the desired length has been determined, the user pushes grabber extender 226 back into the gap 214G between whichever pair of teeth 214B is desired, as shown in Fig. 9C. As such, grabber arm 250 can be adjusted to be longer or shorter, without the need of additional tools.

[0123] The means by which the grabber arm embodiment 250 of Figs. 9A to 9C locks into different positions is preferably made possible by the shape of the teeth 214B in grabber base 214. The gaps 214G between each pair of teeth 214B may be shaped according to the expected path traveled by pin 204 when grabber extender body 202 pivots about pin 208; this path is traced with phantom lines in Fig. 10C. These gaps 214G between teeth 214B may include protrusions, 214C and 214D, on either side, which may create a locking effect when pin 204 is pushed into one of these gaps 214G and teeth 214B deform to accommodate it.

[0124] Essentially, grabber arm 250 comprises base 214, body 202 that slides along (e.g., within) base 214 to extend or retract to each of a plurality of positions, and a fixing mechanism (e.g., pins 204 and 208) that impermanently fixes a position of body 202, relative to base 214, at any one of the plurality of positions. Thus, the length of grabber arm 250 is adjustable by unfixing body 202 from base 214, moving body 202 relative to base 214 to a new one of the plurality of positions, and re-fixing body 202 to base 214 via the fixing mechanism.

[0125] It should be understood that, in this embodiment, the fixing mechanism comprises the fixed distance between pins 204 and 208, which locks body 202 into positionwhen pin 204 is inserted within the gap 214G between an adjacent pair of teeth 214B. In this case, each gap represents one of a plurality of indexed positions.

[0126] Figs. 11 A to 11D illustrate an example mounting apparatus. The mounting apparatus comprises an internal aperture around the longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus. An inner surface of the internal aperture comprises circumferential threads that are configured to mate with basket threads of a pole. The mounting apparatus could be a single, integral component. However, in a preferred embodiment, the mounting apparatus comprises a grabber mount 216 with grabber mount insert 218 inserted into it. Insert 218 is removably inserted within mount 216 along the longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus, so as to be concentric with mount 216 and torsionally coupled to mount 216 about the longitudinal axis. In this embodiment, insert 218 comprises the inner aperture.

[0127] Figs. 12Ato 12D show an example full grabber assembly 200, which comprises the assembled grabber arm 250 of Fig. 8B pivotally mounted to the mounting apparatus (e.g., mount 216). In the illustrated embodiment, grabber arm 250 is pivotally mounted to the flanges 216A of grabber mount 216 via pin 220. The spring cutout geometries 216B of grabber mount 216, as indicated in Figs. 11 A and 11D, and the spring cutout geometry 214E of grabber base 214, as indicated in Fig. 8B, preferably constrain torsion springs 222 and 224, as shown in Figs. 12A and 12B. The aforementioned spring cutout geometries allow torsion springs 222 and 224 to be concealed in the full gabber assembly while still being reasonably easy to assemble. In other embodiments, other geometries of grabber mount 216 and grabber base 214, including protrusions, may be used to constrain torsion springs 222 and 224. Torsion springs 222 and 224 may apply a combined moment to grabber arm 250 that rotationally biases grabber arm 250 towards its open or “home” position, as depicted in Fig. 12B. In other words, grabber arm 250 is biased to pivot in a rotational direction around its pivot axis.

[0128] To mount the grabber assembly 200 to a trekking pole 502, the internal threads of the grabber mount insert 218 may be threaded onto the trekking pole’s basket threads 500D, with the top of grabber mount 216 pressed firmly against trekking pole shoulder 500C, as is depicted in Figs. 13 A and 13B, similarly to how many snow and mud baskets mount to common trekking poles. In this configuration, the pivot axis of grabber arm 250, provided by pin 220, may be described as substantially perpendicular (e.g., + / = 15 degrees) to the longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus, which coincides with the longitudinal axis of trekking pole 502 when the mounting apparatus is attached to trekking pole 502.

[0129] As described in the background section of the present disclosure, trekking poles are not all made the same, especially across manufacturers. Common variations across trekking poles may include their shoulder 500C diameter and basket thread 500D geometry, as seen in Fig. 2C, which can have different dimensions, pitches, profiles, etc. As such, inserts 218 with inner apertures having different diameters and thread geometries may be made available to accommodate poles having different geometries. In this case, for instance, mount 216 may be sized to accommodate the maximum diameter of any supported pole, and the male spline geometry of each insert 218 may be sized to match (e.g., be slightly less than) the female spline geometry of mount 216, such that the two components may be torsionally coupled together. Advantageously, this enables the same mount 216 to be used, regardless of the pole’s geometry. The user simply needs to select an insert 218 that appropriately fits the pole according to its geometry, and slide the selected insert 218 into mount 216. As such, grabber assembly 200 and other mounting apparatuses may be configured to fit on a variety of trekking poles, even those made by different manufacturers.

[0130] While it is generally contemplated that the mounting apparatus would be used for mounting grabber arm 250, it should be understood that additional or alternative tools could be mounted to the mounting apparatus, which may provide means for attaching these other tools to trekking poles and the like. In this case, flanges 216A or some other feature may provide a standard connection for one or more types of tools, such that different types of tools and / or different models of the same tool may be easily mounted and unmounted from the mounting apparatus. An example of one alternative tool is a camera, such as a GoPro™ camera.

[0131] Grabbing-Enabled Trekking Pole

[0132] To give trekking pole 502 grabbing capabilities, clampable trigger assembly 100A may be clamped near the top of pole section 500B of trekking pole 502, as best illustrated in Figs. 1, 16A, and 16B. Furthermore, the grabber assembly 200 of Fig. 12B may be mounted to the trekking pole’s basket threads 500D as previously described, and as shown in Figs. 13A and 13B. Trekking pole 502 with both clampable trigger assembly 100A and grabber assembly 200 attached can be best seen in Figs. 14Ato 15C.

[0133] In preferred embodiments, grabber assembly 200 and clampable trigger assembly 100A are connected by a string 402, which completes the grabbing-enabled trekking pole assembly 600. As used herein, the term “string” should be understood to refer to any material capable of extending between two components to mechanically link themtogether and which can be pulled at one end to exert a pulling force on the component fixed to the other end, and should be understood to encompass a cable, a chain (e.g., comprising a plurality of links), a wire, a single cord or a plurality of cords (e.g., twisted together), and the like. Throughout the present disclosure, strings may be assumed to be preferably made from a stretch-resistant material such as Kevlar or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Fig. 15D shows how string 402 may be tied into a knot 402A at one end and fed through the grabber base 214 such that the knot 402A is constrained by pin 209 and grabber base 214. In further embodiments, string 402 may be coupled to grabber base 214 via any other suitable coupling device or method. As seen in Fig. 15 A, the other end of the string 402 may be fed along the length of the trekking pole 502, passed through pulley 120 and through an opening 116A in trigger 116, and tied or otherwise coupled to the cleat features 116B near the end of trigger 116, much like a rope to a cleat, an example of which is shown in Figs. 16A and 16B. String 402 is preferably tied or otherwise coupled to trigger 116 such that there is very little slack in the string while the grabber arm 250 is in its open position, which is shown in Fig. 15 A. In this configuration, with grabber arm 250 in its open position, the combined moment of torsion springs 222 and 224 may create a tension in string 402 that biases trigger 116 towards its own open or “home” position, as seen in Figs. 14A and 15 A. If trigger 116 is forcefully rotated towards a new position, in a direction that opposes this bias — such as by pressing on the trigger actuation surface 116C of clampable trigger assembly 100A, as identified in Figs. 3 A and 15A — trigger 116 pulls on string 402 in a way that rotates grabber arm 250 from its open to its closed position. Fig. 15B depicts a “partially rotated” state of grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600, and Fig. 15C depicts the closed state, in which the tip of grabber arm 250 may contact the bottom end of trekking pole 502. When grabber arm 250 is rotated about its pivot in this way, it can reasonably be used to grab an object, as this object becomes pressed between the tip of grabber arm 250 and the end of trekking pole 502. Releasing trigger 116 allows trigger 116 and grabber arm 250 to return to their respective home or “open” positions, due to the aforementioned rotational biases.

[0134] Essentially, string 402 connects trigger 116 to grabber arm 250, such that, when the entire grabber assembly is mounted to a pole, string 402 biases trigger 116 towards a first position (i.e., the open position) and pivoting of trigger 116 from the first position to a second position (i.e., the closed position) pulls an end of string 402, which causes grabber arm 250 to pivot in a rotational direction from its open position to its closed position. Whentrigger 116 is released, grabber arm 250, which is biased towards its open position, returns to its open position, thereby pulling string 402 back, which, in turn, pulls trigger 116 from the closed position back to the open position.

[0135] It should be noted that for this example grabber arm embodiment 250, as depicted in Figs. 15A to 15D and Figs. 7A to 10C, when a user grabs an object with the grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600, the force of the object pushing back on the grabber arm 250 is expected to push grabber extender 226 further into the gap 214G between teeth 214B of grabber base 214, thus preventing grabber extender 226 from becoming dislodged. The only time a sufficient force would be expected to dislodge grabber extender 226 is if the user does so intentionally by hand.

[0136] Another dimension that often varies across trekking poles is the distance between the shoulder 500C and the pole tip 500E, as seen in Fig. 2C. Likewise, if the user decides to install a different pole tip 500E or a pole tip cover 500F onto their trekking pole 500, the distance between the shoulder 500C and the effective bottom of the trekking pole changes. The previously described length adjustability of grabber arm 250 may account for this discrepancy. Figs. 18A and 18B illustrate a situation in which a user may wish to hike with or without the pole tip cover 500F installed on trekking pole 502. The grabber arm 250 of Fig. 18Ais adjusted to be longer than the grabber arm 250 of Fig. 18B. By adjusting the grabber arm 250 to different lengths, the end of grabber tip 203 can reasonably contact the end of trekking pole 502 for proper pickup of objects. As such, the length adjustability of grabber arm 250 enables a user to retrofit a grabber arm assembly 200 onto a variety of trekking poles with different dimensions and configurations.

[0137] Container

[0138] Figs. 19A to 19C depict an example container clamp 301, which bears much similarity to the aforementioned clampable trigger assembly 100A and therefore may perform similar clamping functions. An involute clamping member 352 may be pivotally mounted to the main body 350 via pin 354. Square nuts 358 and 364 may be inserted into cutouts in the main body 350. A thumb screw 356 may be threaded into square nut 358. Screws 360 and nuts 362 may be fastened together through holes in the container clamp’s main body 350. Preferably, hexagonally-shaped cutouts in the main body 350 constrain the rotation of nuts 362.

[0139] Figs. 20A and 20B depict an example embodiment of a container lid assembly. In preferred embodiments, pin 312 may be press-fitted into a hole in latch 306. Latch 306may be pivotally mounted to container lid 304 by pin 310. Torsion spring 308 may be geometrically constrained by container lid 304, latch 306, and pin 310. Figs. 21 A and 21B illustrate the container lid assembly embodiment of Fig. 20B assembled with container body 302. Container lid 304 may be rotatably mounted to container body 302 via pins 320, with pins 320 preferably passing through bushings 318 and torsion springs 314 and 316. Figs. 22Aand 22B depict the embodiment of Fig. 2 IB being fastened to the container clamp 301 of Fig. 19B via screws 322 threaded into square nuts 364 of container clamp 301, resulting in a complete container assembly 300. In other embodiments, any other suitable coupling device or method may be used to couple the aforementioned components together.

[0140] Torsion spring 308, as best seen in Figs. 20A and 20B, may apply a moment to latch 306 that biases it towards a closed or “locked” position, which is best seen in Fig. 25D. Torsion springs 314 and 316 may apply a combined moment to container lid 304 that creates a rotational bias towards a closed position, as seen in Fig. 21B. Due to the weight of container lid 304, gravitational force also may contribute to this bias.

[0141] In Fig. 20A, 304A refers to the string hole in container lid 304. In Fig. 21A, 304B refers to the tapered recess of container lid 304.

[0142] Fig. 25D contains references to additional features of latch 306 and container body 302. 306A refers to the stopping protrusion of latch 306. 306B refers to the angled bottom of latch 306. 306C refers to the top surface of latch 306. 302A refers to the latching protrusion of container body 302, and 302B refers to the unlocking hole in container body 302.

[0143] Storage-Enabled Trekking Pole

[0144] To give trekking pole 504 storage capabilities, a container clampable trigger assembly 100B is preferably clamped near the top of the pole section 500B of trekking pole 504, and a container assembly 300 is preferably clamped near the center of pole section 500B of trekking pole 504, as best illustrated in Figs. 1, 23, 24A, and 24B.

[0145] It should be noted here that for the first embodiments, clampable trigger assembly 100B is exactly identical to clampable trigger assembly 100A, though this is not required for other embodiments. Thus, the descriptions of clampable trigger assembly 100A apply equally to clampable trigger assembly 100B.

[0146] In preferred embodiments, container assembly 300 and clampable trigger assembly 100B are connected by a string 404, which completes storage-enabled trekking pole 700. Figs. 25 A and 25D show how string 404 may be tied around pin 312 in latch 306at one end and fed through string hole 304A in container lid 304. In further embodiments, string 404 may be coupled to latch 306 via any other suitable coupling device or method. As seen in Fig. 24B, the other end of string 404 may be fed along the length of trekking pole 504 and passed through pulley 120, fed through opening 116A in trigger 116, and tied or otherwise coupled to the cleat features 116B at the end of trigger 116, much like a rope to a cleat, an example of which is seen in Figs. 16A and 16B. String 404 is to be preferably tied or otherwise coupled such that there is very little slack in the string 404 while the container lid 304 and latch 306 are both in their respective closed positions, as best shown in Fig. 25 A. The previously mentioned rotational biases of container lid 304 and latch 306, via the aforementioned torsion springs and gravitational force, may create a tension in string 404 that pulls on trigger 116, creating a rotational bias of trigger 116 towards its closed position, as seen in Fig. 24B.

[0147] Due to the mechanical coupling of string 404, when trigger 116 is forcibly rotated against its rotational bias — such as by pressing on the trigger actuation surface 116C of clampable trigger assembly 100A, as seen in Figs. 3 A and 15A — the latch 306 rotates, unlocking itself from the latching protrusion 302A of container body 302, and container lid 304 rotates open. Figs. 24B and Figs. 25 A to 25C depict the latch 306 and container lid 304 rotation that occurs when trigger 116 rotated in this way, with Figs. 25A, 25B, and 25C in chronological order, respectively, from the closed to open position. When trigger 116 is released, it returns to its home or “closed” position; in the process, container lid 304 closes from a combination of spring actuation and gravity, and latch 306 relatches itself to the latching protrusion 302A of container body 302.

[0148] Essentially, string 404 connects trigger 116 to lid 304, such that, when the entire container assembly is mounted to a pole, string 404 biases trigger 116 towards a first position (i.e., the closed position), while lid 304 is biased towards a closed state. Pivoting of trigger 116 from the first position to a second position (i.e., the open position) pulls an end of string 404, to rotate lid 304 from the closed state to an open state. When trigger 116 is released, lid 304, which is biased towards its closed state, returns to its closed state, thereby pulling string 404 back, which, in turn, pulls trigger 116 from the open position back to the closed position.

[0149] Operation of Assembled Components

[0150] This subsection provides a general overview of how a person may use the described first embodiments in practice.

[0151] A preferred embodiment of a grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 is shown on the left side of Fig. 1. Once assembled, a user can grab items with the grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 by pressing on the trigger actuation surface 116C of clampable trigger assembly 100A, as seen in Fig. 3 A, with any part of the user’s hand, such that trigger 116 rotates about its pivot. Due to the mechanical coupling of string 402, the grabber arm 250 of grabber assembly 200 rotates, as illustrated in Figs. 15Ato 15C and Fig. 17. To pick up an item, the grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 can be positioned such that when the trigger 116 is pressed, said item is pressed on either side by grabber tip 203 and the bottom end of the trekking pole: either tip cover 500F or pole tip 500E, depending on whether tip cover 500F is installed. The “closed” position for either case is illustrated by Figs. 18A and 18B. While there is no single correct way to use the grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600, shown in Fig. 1, one method is to position a single hand just above the clampable trigger assembly 100A and hold the trekking pole 502 by its handle 500A or pole section 500B with the hand’s four fingers, while using the hand’s thumb to press down on the trigger actuation surface 116C. This method can give the user full control of their grabbing capabilities with a single hand without having to significantly move said hand away from its standard hiking or walking position. When the user releases trigger 116, the grabber arm 250 returns to its open position, depicted by Fig. 15 A, via spring actuation and is therefore ready to pick up another item. As such, the user can conveniently pick up trash and other items while they walk or hike without needing to reach down or significantly alter their grip to their trekking pole handle 500A. Furthermore, since the grabber arm 250 remains in its open position any time it is not in use, it maintains a low profile while walking or hiking and therefore does not interfere with the regular use of trekking pole 502.

[0152] A preferred embodiment of a storage-enabled trekking pole 700 is illustrated on the right side of Fig. 1. Once the components are assembled, a user can store items with the container assembly 300 of storage-enabled trekking pole 700 by pressing on trigger 116 of clampable trigger assembly 100B with any part of the user’s hand, such that latch 306 rotates to unlock itself from container body 302 and container lid 304 rotates open, as shown by Figs. 25A, 25B, and 25C in chronological order, respectively, from the closed to open position. Releasing trigger 116 causes container lid 304 to swing closed and latch 306 to relock itself against container body 302. Thus, with one hand, and without significantly moving said hand from the trekking pole handle 500A, the user can open, close, and unlock / lock the container lid 304 of the container assembly 300. The locking of thecontainer assembly 300 ensures that its contents cannot spill out unintentionally, for example, if the container assembly 300 gets jostled or if the storage-enabled trekking pole 700 gets dropped by the user. Furthermore, the locking of the container assembly 300 can prevent container lid 304 from opening and closing repeatedly while hiking due to the trekking pole’s repeated contact with the ground, which could be annoying to the user. Fig. 23 shows a perspective view of a storage-enabled trekking pole 700 with the container lid 304 in its open position. While open, objects can easily be added to the container body 302 of container assembly 300.

[0153] While there is no requirement to use the grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 and storage-enabled trekking pole 700 simultaneously, it is possible and beneficial for a user to do so. Trekking poles are commonly used in pairs, with one held in each hand while walking or hiking. Therefore, it makes sense that a user might choose to walk or hike with grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 in one hand and storage-enabled trekking pole 700 in the other. Doing so may provide the benefit that, when an item is encountered on a trail that the user would like to collect, the user can grab said item with grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 and place it into the container body 302 of storage-enabled trekking pole 700. In this process, the user does not need to bend over or let go of their trekking poles, providing an ability to quickly and conveniently pick up and store items while walking or hiking.

[0154] ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF FIRST EMBODIMENT

[0155] Whereas the previous section introduced a first embodiment of components, this section provides more details of these embodiments, including advantages and ramifications not previously described in detail.

[0156] Clampable Trigger Assembly

[0157] As previously mentioned in the description of the first embodiments, clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B are preferably identical. However, this is not a requirement for other embodiments. For simplicity, any discussion herein related to grabber clampable trigger assembly 100A may also reasonably be applied to container clampable trigger assembly 100B.

[0158] The unique shape and placement of trigger 116 and pulley 120, with respect to clampable trigger assembly 100A, provide numerous benefits. As seen in Figs. 15Ato 15C, trigger 116 and pulley 120 may be positioned to maximize travel of string 402 for the user’s given input force on the trigger’s actuation surface 116C. As such, as trigger 116 rotates, string 402 remains nearly tangent to the arc traced by the bottom end of trigger 116. Pulley120 not only helps increase string travel but also redirects string 402 to be very close to trekking pole 502, which reduces the footprint of the combined embodiments and also enables a small moment arm between the tension of string 402 and the longitudinal center axis of trekking pole 502. As such, the redirection of string 402 by pulley 120 can help to minimize the bending moment applied to trekking pole 502, which could otherwise create unwanted deflections of the trekking pole that would reduce the available clamping force of the grabber arm 250 when picking up an object. Likewise, the moment is also reduced about clampable trigger assembly 100A, such that it has less tendency to rock about its clamping surfaces. Furthermore, the use of pulley 120 to redirect string 402 allows trigger 116 to be shaped in a low-profile manner, such that its bottom member can be oriented vertically, or nearly vertically, rather than sticking out away from the trekking pole. This arrangement of components and features is also advantageous in that it is all self-contained within a single assembly, mountable onto a trekking pole or other cylindrically-shaped object.

[0159] Trigger 116 is preferably shaped to guide string 402 via string guide 116D and string guide cover 116E, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3 A and 15 A. Furthermore, trigger 116 is preferably shaped such that it interferes with the trigger flange 102D of the clampable trigger assembly main body 102 when in its home position, which stops its rotation, as most clearly seen in Fig. 4C.

[0160] In a general sense, embodiments of clampable trigger assembly 100A and 100B can be described as a mechanical device for providing linear actuation, capable of attaching to cylindrically-shaped objects, including, but not limited to, walking devices such as trekking poles, canes, and crutches.

[0161] Involute Clamping Mechanism

[0162] While the involute clamping mechanism has been described in the context of clampable trigger assembly 100A, it may also function independently from this context and can be more generally applied to other devices. Furthermore, whereas the involute clamping mechanism has been described to attach to trekking poles, it may also mount to other cylindrical objects, such as bike frames, handles, pipes, scaffolding, fishing poles, stands, etc.

[0163] Including the involute clamping member 104 in a clamp design provides advantages. First, by selecting a material for involute clamping member 104 that is softer than pole section 500B of trekking pole 502, involute clamping member 104 prevents thetrekking pole from being gouged, indented, or otherwise damaged, which would likely occur if thumb screw 108 were to contact trekking pole 502 directly. As described previously, prior art makes use of a thrust plate attached to the end of the screw to prevent damage to the clamped object. In comparison to a thrust plate, involute clamping member 104 involves hardware and components that may be simpler to manufacture or easier to source. Second, involute clamping member 104 provides increased structural stiffness in the directions orthogonal to the thrust axis of thumb screw 108, as compared with a similar clamp design that excludes the involute clamping member 104 and has thumb screw 108 contact the trekking pole directly. In other words, with clampable trigger assembly 100A mounted to trekking pole 502, if someone were to twist clampable trigger assembly 100A relative to trekking pole 502, or if someone thrusted clampable trigger assembly 100A along the longitudinal axis of trekking pole 502, the bending deflection of thumb screw 108 may be significantly less with an involute clamping member 104 present than without it. This benefit may allow the thumb screw 108 to be longer and to have a smaller diameter than if the involute clamping member 104 were not included.

[0164] Fig. 4D shows a section view of a clampable trigger assembly 100A with a clear view of one pair of reinforcement fasteners, i.e. screw 112 and nut 114. These components are strategically located along the portion of the clamp’s main body that are expected to see the highest tensile force during use. Adding these steel components provides a load path that is stiffer than the clamp’s plastic main body 102. This effect, along with the precompression from tightening screw 112 and nut 114, may significantly lessen the deformation of the clamp’s main body 102 while in use and thus may enable it to clamp at higher loads. As such, clampable trigger assembly 100A can be made primarily of plastic while still supplying high clamping loads required for secure connection to trekking pole 502. In other words, the main body 102 and the involute clamping member 104 may be formed from plastic, and each of one or both of clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B comprises at least one metal stiffening member (e.g., screw 112) extending through at least a portion of the main body 102 along an axis that is substantially parallel (e.g., + / - 15 degrees) to a longitudinal axis of the screw 108. This is advantageous over prior art, which typically uses steel, aluminum, or other metals for the clamp’s main body and thus may be heavier and more costly than if it were made primarily of plastic.

[0165] Grabber Assembly

[0166] Other notable features of grabber base 214 are made apparent by Figs. 15A to 15D. The portion of grabber base 214 that contacts string 402 in these figures is preferably shaped so that the mechanical advantage of clamping an object is greatest when the grabber arm 250 is closer to its “closed” position, depicted in Fig. 15C. In preferred embodiments, this portion of grabber base 214 is cam-shaped such that the effective moment arm from the tension of string 402 about pin 220 is small when an object cannot reasonably be grabbed and large when it can. In this way, the travel of string 402, created by rotating trigger 116, may be efficiently used.

[0167] Another notable feature of grabber base 214 is that it preferably includes stiffening member 214A, shown in Fig. 10B, which may be integral to the part. Stiffening member 214A provides lateral stiffness for the grabber arm assembly, which may help avoid unwanted deformation and high stresses of grabber base 214 under laterally applied loads.

[0168] Container

[0169] As previously described, the embodiment of container clamp 301 depicted in Figs. 19A to 19C preferably contains the same clamping means as clampable trigger assembly 100A. As such, said container clamp 301 can be mounted to trekking pole 504 in the same way as how clampable trigger assembly 100A is mounted to trekking pole 502, as previously described. With the container mounted to container clamp 301, as depicted in Figs. 22A and 22B, the entire container assembly 300 can be easily clamped onto trekking pole 504.

[0170] For proper functionality of container assembly 300, string 404 may be connected to latch 306 by pin 312 as shown in Figs. 25 A and 25D. Container assembly 300 is preferably designed to be opened only by applying a vertical tensile force to string 404. If one attempts to open the container lid 304 directly, they will find it to be locked in place, due to the engagement of latch 306 with the latching protrusion 302A of container body 302, as shown most clearly in Fig. 25D. This engagement is preferably designed such that the force applied to latch 306 by latching protrusion 302A creates a moment on the latch 306 about the latch’s pivot that is either nearly zero or in the direction of the hinge closing, which is counterclockwise in Fig. 25D, such that the latch cannot be rotated open by latching protraction 302A. The torsion spring 308 about the latch 306 is preferably designed to be comparatively weaker than the torsion springs, 314 and 316, about the hinge of container lid 304. As such, when string 404 is pulled vertically, container lid 304 does notimmediately open. Instead, latch 306 rotates and disengages from latching protrusion 302A, as depicted in Fig. 25B, causing latch 306 to become unlocked. Once the latch top surface 306C contacts container lid 304, latch 306 can no longer rotate, as is illustrated by Fig. 25B. As the vertical force applied to string 404 increases, container lid 304 opens freely. Container lid 304 is preferably comprised of a geometry that guides string 404 against a smooth surface on container lid 304 such that string 404 can slide past it with little resistance. Furthermore, string 404 is preferably passed through a string hole 304A in container lid 304 that may transition into a tapered recess 304B — as identified in Fig. 25 A — which may allow container lid 304 to open further than would otherwise be possible due to geometric constraints, as seen in Fig. 25C. The guiding of string 404 against container lid 304 is most clearly seen in Fig. 25C, and a perspective view of tapered recess 304B is visible in Fig. 21 A. In summary, the unlocking and opening of container assembly 300 by pulling upward on string 404 is illustrated chronologically by Figs. 25A, 25B, and 25C, respectively. Conversely, the closing and locking of container assembly 300 can be achieved by lessening tension on string 404, which causes container lid 304 to rotate closed due to spring actuation and gravity. As such, the aforementioned unlocking and opening process is repeated in reverse, illustrated chronologically by Figs. 25C, 25B, and 25A, respectively.

[0171] If container lid 304 is gently closed by string 404, then latch 306 may automatically be rotated out of the way of latching protrusion 302A of container body 302 before relocking with latching protrusion 302A from spring actuation. However, there may be cases where string 404 is abruptly released, causing latch 306 to swing into its closed position, shown in Fig. 25A, before container lid 304 can close, which would result in the scenario depicted in Fig. 26. To ensure that container lid 304 can still properly close in this event, two measures may be taken. First, latch 306 may have a stopping protrusion 306A that prevents it from rotating past its closed position. Second, the normal force between the angled bottom 306B of latch 306 and latching protrusion 302A of container body 302 preferably creates a moment that rotates latch 306 around latching protrusion 302A, such that container lid 304 can successfully close and relock.

[0172] If there is ever a case where string 404 becomes untied from pin 312, falls through string hole 304A, or otherwise becomes unusable, a person may stick a long, slender object through unlocking hole 302B in container body 302 to manually unlock latch 306 and open container lid 304. Fig. 25D best illustrates this capability.

[0173] Bushings 318, as seen in Fig. 21 A, preferably help constrain torsion springs 314 and 316 about the hinge axis of container lid 304. However, in other embodiments — for example, ones where the torsion springs are more closely fitted to the hinge pins 320 — these bushings can be omitted.

[0174] ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0175] Trigger - Cam Locking Mechanism

[0176] Figs. 27, 28 A, and 28B depict a clampable trigger assembly, akin to clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B of the first embodiments, but with trigger 116 replaced by an alternative, cam-locking trigger 1116. Preferably, a toothed cam 1126 rotatably mounts to cam-locking trigger 1116 via pin 1130, which preferably passes through torsion spring 1128. Torsion spring 1128 may be geometrically constrained by its surrounding components and, by applying a moment to toothed cam 1126, may rotationally bias toothed cam 1126 towards a closed position, as depicted in Fig. 29B. Just like in the first embodiments, this trigger 1116 may be pivotally mounted to the clamp’s main body 102 by pin 118.

[0177] The cam-locking mechanism may function in much the same way as cam cleats are used to secure ropes on sailboats. A string 400, analogous to strings 402 or 404, passes through cam-locking trigger 1116 as depicted in Fig. 29A. Some toothed cam 1126 embodiments can include a cam arm 1126A, which a person can push with their finger to rotate the toothed cam open, as shown by the arc-shaped arrow in Fig. 29A. Opening toothed cam 1126 allows the string 400 to pass freely past the teeth 1126B of toothed cam 1126. While doing so, the person can simultaneously pull on the string 400 with their other hand to modify the position and tension of the string. Once a desired string position and tension has been reached, cam arm 1126A can be released so that toothed cam 1126 swings to its closed position by the moment provided by torsion spring 1128, as illustrated by Fig. 29B. In the closed position, the teeth 1126B of toothed cam 1126 engage with string 400 and press said string against the cam contact wall 1116A of cam-locking trigger 1116. For clarity, string 400 is not shown in Fig. 29B, though one can reasonably envision how the string 400 shown in Fig. 29A would deform under the clamping load from toothed cam 1126 when the toothed cam is in its closed position. Due to the shape of toothed cam 1126 and the cam contact wall 1116A, the friction between the cam teeth 1126B and the string is expected to increase the harder the string is pulled downward. In this way, the string is locked in place without the user needing to tie it to the trigger as was previously depictedin Fig. 16A, providing a convenient string adjustment experience for the user. Essentially, trigger 1116 comprises a cam contact wall 1116A and a rotatable toothed cam 1126 that is biased towards a closed position in which the rotatable toothed cam 1126 presses the string 400 against the cam contact wall 1116A, to thereby lock the string 400 in place relative to the trigger 1116.

[0178] The embodiment of cam-locking trigger 1116 depicted in Figs. 27 to 29B contains cleat features 116B closely resembling those of the first embodiments. These cleat features 116B could be used for extra security or as a backup option if the toothed cam 1126 locking mechanism were to fail. However, a trigger is not required to have both capabilities, and thus another embodiment could contain either a cam locking mechanism or a cleat feature without the other.

[0179] Whereas Figs. 27 to 28B depict a clampable trigger assembly embodiment with a toothed cam 1126 and a cam contact wall 1116A, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other configurations may yield similar results. For instance, in other embodiments, cam contact wall 1116A can be generalized to any surface that may be contacted by toothed cam 1126 to hold string 400 in place. As such, other embodiments of cam contact wall 1116A could even be nonstationary; for instance, cam contact wall 1116A could be integral to a second toothed cam that mirrors the first, such that the string 400 is pressed by a toothed cam on either side.

[0180] Trigger - List of Alternative Embodiments

[0181] While the first embodiment describes that the triggers 116 of clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B are identical, this need not be the case for other embodiments.

[0182] In other embodiments, features of the trigger 116 can be removed or changed without entirely changing its function. For example, contrary to the first embodiment depicted in Figs. 3 A to 3C, a trigger 116 could have the string guide cover 116E removed, or the geometry of string guide 116D could be altered in shape or removed entirely, and the clampable trigger assembly 100A could still perform its primary function.

[0183] Whereas the present disclosure describes trigger embodiments with cleat features 116B, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that different shapes and configurations may be used to accomplish the task of tying or otherwise coupling a string to a trigger.

[0184] Whereas the present disclosure describes clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B as having clamping capabilities, other embodiments of grabbing-enabledtrekking poles 600 or storage-enabled trekking poles 700 may instead contain trigger assemblies, akin to clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B, that may or may not exclude a clamping capability and may be otherwise mounted to or built integrally into the trekking pole 502 or 504 or other walking device.

[0185] Clamp - Alternative Clamping Mechanism

[0186] While the first embodiment describes a particular shape of clamp, any style of clamp, including ones available in the prior art, can be used to clamp embodiments to the trekking pole or other walking device. This remains true for both the clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B and the container clamp 301 of container assembly 300, as shown in Figs. 19Ato 19C, though for this example, clampable trigger assembly 100A will be used.

[0187] The embodiments of Figs. 30Ato 30C depict a clampable trigger assembly with a clamping mechanism different than the first embodiment. This clamping mechanism shares close resemblance with prior art, particularly with U.S. Patent D798,940 S (2017) to GoPro, Inc, which is designed to mount onto a pole-shaped object of varying diameter, within a predetermined range of diameters.

[0188] Trigger 116, pulley 120, rotating clamp member 2134, and rod end bolt 2136 are preferably pivotally mounted to clamp base 2132 via pins 118, 122, 2142, and 2140, respectively. Wing nut 2138 preferably threads onto rod end bolt 2136.

[0189] In operation, the clamping assembly is wrapped around the trekking pole 502, and rod end bolt 2136 is rotated such that it engages with the open-ended slot of rotating clamp member 2134, as seen in Fig. 30B. Wing nut 2138 is then tightened by hand to provide clamping force onto the trekking pole. Wing nut 2138, in other embodiments, could be another kind of internally -threaded object, such as a threaded through-hole knob.

[0190] This is one example of how an alternative clamping mechanism can be used with a clampable trigger assembly, but there is no limitation to the type of clamping methods, components, or mechanisms that can be applied to either a clampable trigger assembly or container clamp, including those that are adjustable and those that are not. Furthermore, while Figs. 30A to 30C depict a clampable trigger assembly, this alternative clamping mechanism could also be applied to container clamp 301. Also, although the first embodiments use an identical clamping style across all clamps, there is no need to do so. Clamps for the grabber clampable trigger assembly 100A, container clampable trigger assembly 100B, and container assembly 300 can vary in style, dimensionality, material, etc.

[0191] Involute Clamping Mechanism - Alternative Configurations

[0192] While the first embodiment describes the involute clamping member 104 being used to clamp cylindrical objects, it can be used for other applications. For example, if the concave or “V-shaped” surface 102C of the clampable trigger assembly’s main body 102, as seen in Fig. 4A, were replaced with a flat surface, then a flat object, such as a plate, could be reasonably held. Furthermore, the use of the described involute clamping member 104 is not limited only to applications of C-clamps and the like, but it can also be used in other clamping methods and designs. For example, rather than the V-shaped or aforementioned flat surface being integral to the clamp’s main body 102, this surface could be entirely separate from another apparatus containing the involute clamping member 104, square nut 110, and thumb screw 108.

[0193] Involute Clamping Mechanism - Grippy Surfaces

[0194] There may be instances in which a clamp that employs an involute clamping mechanism could be slippery against the surface it clamps to. Therefore, an alternative embodiment of these clamps could include a rubber or otherwise grippy surface applied to the clamping surfaces of said clamps. For the sake of explanation, clampable trigger assembly 100A, best illustrated in Fig. 4A, will be considered, although this discussion pertains also to the other clamps previously mentioned.

[0195] In particular, the V-shaped surface 102C of the clamp’s main body 102, as well as the convex clamping surface 104B of the involute clamping member 104, are surfaces that could benefit from increased grip, since they both contact the trekking pole 502 surface during clamping. Many methods of increasing grip could be used, including, but not limited to, spray-on rubberized coating, overmolding of rubber features, or adhering segments of rubber sheets to said surfaces.

[0196] Previously mentioned in this document is that the geometry of involute clamping member 104 preferably follows the shape of the curve illustrated in Fig. 5, or any normal offset to this curve. Thus, if a rubber coating, sheet, or the like is applied to the convex clamping surface 104B of involute clamping member 104, the new modified geometry of involute clamping member 104 with its rubber would still achieve its desired geometric properties, so long as the rubber is uniformly distributed along the surface. Thus, the rubber surface would still always contact normal to the trekking pole 502 surface.

[0197] The inclusion of grippy materials is not limited to embodiments that include trekking poles and the like, but also to any other application that uses an involute clamping mechanism.

[0198] Clampable Trigger Assembly - List of Alternative Embodiments

[0199] The thumb screw 108 of clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B does not need to look the way it does in the Fig. 3C and can be replaced by any other kind of thumb screw, for example, a thumb screw with a knob. Any kind of screw can be used, though something that can be turned by hand has the advantage of convenient assembly without tools. Also, the pulley 120 of clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B, in other embodiments, can be replaced by a pin or other non-rotating geometry capable of redirecting string 402 or 404 in a similar manner.

[0200] Whereas the first embodiment describes a trigger flange 102D inherent to the clampable trigger assembly main body 102, as best seen in Fig. 4C, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many other ways to pivotally mount trigger 116 to the clampable trigger assembly’s main body 102, such as with two or more flanges.

[0201] In the first embodiment of clampable trigger assembly 100A, two screws 112 and nuts 114 are fastened along the tensile load path of the clamp’s main body 102, such that they are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of thumb screw 108, as seen in Figs. 3C and 4D. Other embodiments can include any number of screws and nuts, including zero, which may be especially desirable if the clamp’s main body is made of a stiffer material, such as aluminum or steel. Furthermore, other means of stiffening the clamp’s main body 102 are possible, including the use of rivets in the place of screws or by overmolding the clamp’s main body 102 onto tensile stiffening members, such as rods or strips. In the case of using screws and nuts, the hexagonally-shaped cutouts 102A of the clamp’s main body 102 can be omitted in other embodiments.

[0202] The drawings, including Fig. 3C and 19A, depict cutouts in the clamp’s main body of clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B and container clamp 301 for square nuts to be inserted into, for the purpose of providing threaded holes. This is but one way to add threaded holes, and other embodiments could include other options. For example, nut plates, helical inserts, press-fit threaded inserts, and directly threading the material of the clamp’s main body are just some of these options.

[0203] There is no limitation to what materials can be used for the clamp’s main body or involute clamping member, so long as they are sufficiently stiff to supply the desiredclamping load. One option might be to make the clamp’s main body by sandwiching plastic components between two pieces of sheet metal, which may eliminate the need for screws 112 and nuts 114 for additional stiffness. For applications where damaging the clamped object is not a concern, or where the clamped object is made of an especially hard material, the involute clamping member 104 can be made of materials harder than plastic, such as aluminum or steel.

[0204] The actuation arm 104C of involute clamping member 104, as shown in the first embodiments in Fig. 4A, can be omitted from the involute clamping member in other embodiments.

[0205] Grabber Arm - Alternative Tooth Placement and Geometry

[0206] Figs. 31A and 3 IB depict an alternative embodiment of an adjustable grabber arm. Grabber tip 3203 is preferably mounted to grabber extender body 3202 via screw 3210, nut 3212, and pin 3206, and grabber extender body 3202 is constrained to grabber base 3214 via pins 3204 and 3208. In contrast with the first grabber arm embodiment 250, best illustrated by Fig. 8A, grabber base 3214 has teeth on the opposite side, and grabber extender body 3202 has different pin locations to account for this difference. Figs. 32A to 32C demonstrate how the assembled grabber arm can adjust in much the same way as in the first grabber arm embodiment 250, as was illustrated by Figs. 9A to 9C. Despite the different geometry, the functional result is the similar.

[0207] While the description of the first embodiment illustrates specific geometries of teeth 214B of grabber base embodiments 214, as shown in Fig. 10C, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many other tooth geometries that will produce similar locking effects.

[0208] Grabber Arm - Alternative Length Adjustment Methods

[0209] Figs. 34A to 34D illustrate an alternative embodiment of a length-adjustable grabber arm, which highlights some different means by which a grabber arm 250 can achieve length adjustability. Grabber tip 4203 is preferably mounted to grabber extender body 4202 via screw 4210, nut 4212, and pin 4206, and grabber extender body 4202 is preferably constrained to grabber base 4214 via pins 4204 and 4208. Pin 4209 is preferably press-fitted into a hole in grabber base 4214. Adjustment clip 4234 may be pivotally connected to grabber base 4214 via pin 4232, preferably with said pin passing through torsion spring 4230. Torsion spring 4230 may be geometrically constrained via itssurrounding components and may force adjustment clip 4234 into its closed position, as depicted in Fig. 34D.

[0210] The first difference between this embodiment and the first grabber arm embodiment 250 of Fig. 8B is that in this embodiment, the slot geometry 4202B is contained within the grabber extender body 4202 rather than within grabber base 4214. As such, the two pins, 4204 and 4208, that constrain the rotation of grabber extender body 4202 may be fixed to grabber base 4214 rather than being fixed to the grabber extender body 4202. With both pins 4204 and 4208 present, grabber extender body 4202 is free to slide only along the path of its slot 4202B, without the ability to dislodge itself and swing out as previously described in the first grabber arm embodiment 250, as best illustrated in Figs. 9Ato 9C.

[0211] This discrepancy leads to the second difference, which is that this embodiment utilizes a different method to adjust the length of the assembled grabber arm. As seen in Fig. 35D, grabber extender body 4202 has teeth 4202C along its length. A gap 4202A resides between each pair of teeth 4202C, and each gap 4202A represents one of a plurality of positions. When adjustment clip 4234 interfaces with one of the gaps 4202A in grabber extender body 4202, the sliding of grabber extender body 4202 along its slot 4202B is prevented, and thus grabber extender body 4202 is fully constrained. Thus, one can adjust the length of the grabber arm assembly by pushing down with a finger on the actuation tab 4234A of adjustment clip 4234, which causes said clip to rotate open, as depicted by Figs. 35B and 35C. Once adjustment clip 4234 is open, grabber extender body 4202 can be moved by hand into a different position. Once a new position has been determined, actuation tab 4234A can be released, causing the adjustment clip 4234 to engage with a different gap 4202A via the actuation from torsion spring 4230, as shown in Fig. 35D.

[0212] Essentially, in this embodiment, body 4202 comprises a plurality of teeth 4202C, with each adjacent pair of the plurality of teeth 4202C separated by a gap 4202A, representing one of a plurality of positions. Base 4214 comprises a fixing mechanism, which in this case, comprises a clip 4234 that is rotatable into and out of each gap 4202A. In other embodiments, the gaps 4202A may comprise any geometries that enable clip 4234 to lock into place.

[0213] In other embodiments, adjustment clip 4234 could be replaced by a different object of moveable means, for example, a flexure attached to or integral to grabber base 4214 that would be able to engage with one of the gaps 4202A and be temporarily deflectedout of the way for length adjustment. Furthermore, whereas the adjustment clip embodiment 4234 shown in Figs. 34A to 35D may be made of bent sheet metal, in other embodiments, it could be made of other materials, such as plastic. There may also be some embodiments in which there is no torsion spring 4230 at all, and the adjustment clip 4234 is simply held in place by friction.

[0214] Another grabber arm embodiment is illustrated by Fig. 36A. Grabber extender body 5202 is preferably constrained to grabber base 5214 via pins 5204 and 5208. Pin 5238 may be press-fitted into adjustment clip 5234, and adjustment clip 5234 may be pivotally mounted to grabber base 5214 via pin 5236. Figs. 36B and 36C show perspective views of the embodiment of Fig. 36A.

[0215] Figs. 37A and 37B show perspective views of the grabber base embodiment 5214 of Figs. 36A to 36C. The detail view shown in Fig. 37C identifies two opposing locking teeth 5214A and 5214B, akin to the teeth 214B of Fig. 10C described in the first embodiments, that may be integral to grabber base 5214. The phantom lines of Fig. 37C trace out the path made by pin 5238 when adjustment clip 5234 rotates about its hinge axis. When pin 5238 engages with the locking teeth 5214A and 5214B of grabber base 5214, pin 5238 may become locked in place, preventing adjustment clip 5234 from rotating, which is depicted also by Figs. 38B to 38D. Locking teeth 5214A and 5214B may include protrusions 5214C and 5214D to produce this locking effect, though other embodiments may exclude these protrusions or comprise other geometries.

[0216] Figs. 38A to 38D illustrate the grabber arm embodiment of Figs. 36A to 36C, and they show an example of how a user may adjust the length of this grabber arm embodiment. Similarly to the embodiment previously described and shown in Fig. 35D, grabber extender body 5202 has teeth 5202C along its length. A gap 5202 A resides between each pair of teeth 5202C, and each gap 5202A represents one of a plurality of positions. The user may push upward on adjustment clip 5234 to dislodge it from the locking teeth 5214A and 5214B of grabber base 5214, as well to remove it from the gap 5202A of grabber extender body 5202, as depicted in Fig. 38C. Then, grabber extender body 5202 may be slid along its slot 5202B until one of the gaps 5202A of grabber extender body 5202 aligns with the gap between locking teeth 5214A and 5214B. Once aligned, adjustment clip 5234 may be rotated by hand again such that pin 5238 simultaneously passes into the aligned gap 5202A and is locked in place by locking teeth 5214A and 5214B of grabber base 5214. The contact of pin 5238 against either side of the gap 5202A prevents the grabber extender body5202 from sliding along its slot 5202B, thus locking it into place. In this way, the length of this grabber arm embodiment can be conveniently adjusted without the need of tools.

[0217] In preferred embodiments, the gaps 5202A of grabber extender body 5202 may be shaped to approximately follow the shape of the gap between locking teeth 5214A and 5214B of grabber base 5214, as traced by the phantom lines shown in Fig. 37C. As a result, the normal forces imparted by pin 5238 onto grabber extender body 5202 during use may be approximately aligned with the hinge axis of adjustment clip 5234, such that these normal forces result in little to no moment applied to adjustment clip 5234 with respect to its hinge axis and therefore have little chance of dislodging it from its locked position.

[0218] Essentially, in this embodiment, body 5202 comprises a plurality of teeth 5202C, with each adjacent pair of the plurality of teeth 5202C separated by a gap 5202A, representing one of a plurality of positions. Base 5214 comprises a fixing mechanism, which in this case, comprises a clip 5234 that is rotatable into and out of each gap 5202A. In other embodiments, the gaps 5202A may comprise any geometries that enable clip 5234 to lock into place.

[0219] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other shapes of locking teeth 5214A and 5214B of grabber base 5214, as shown in Fig. 37A, can produce a locking effect similar to that described. In some embodiments, the rotation of adjustment clip 5234 may be constrained by friction rather than by the normal force from locking teeth 5214A and 5214B. For example, in some embodiments, locking teeth 5214A and 5214B may be removed from grabber base 5214 altogether, in which case the friction between pin 5236, adjustment clip 5234, and grabber base 5214 may prevent the rotation of adjustment clip 5234 and thus create a locking effect that constrains grabber extender body 5202. In other embodiments, locking teeth 5214A and 5214B may exclude protrusions 5214C and 5214D and instead may be held in place by the friction against locking teeth 5214A and 5214B. Furthermore, similar locking effects can be obtained with alternative geometries of clip 5234; for example, in some embodiments, pin 5238 may be replaced by geometry integral to clip 5234.

[0220] Grabber - Merging of Components

[0221] There are some cases for alternative embodiments in which components described in the first embodiments can be combined into a single component. One such example is that grabber mount 216 and grabber mount insert 218, illustrated in Fig. 11 A, could, in other embodiments, be merged into a single threaded grabber mount 6216, asshown in Figs. 39Ato 39C. This combination of components eliminates the ability to have interchangeable thread types, but it may have the benefits of allowing for a slimmer grabber mount design and requiring fewer components. In any case, the embodiment of Figs. 39A to 39C is still able to mount to the end of a trekking pole via its internal thread geometry that threads onto the trekking pole’s basket threads 500D, as well as its top surface that presses against the shoulder 500C of the trekking pole, similarly to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 13B.

[0222] In another case, the first embodiment of grabber arm 250, as illustrated by Fig. 8B, may be merged into a single standalone grabber arm 6214, as depicted in Figs. 40Ato 40D. While this would sacrifice the length adjustment capability of the grabber arm, it may allow for a simpler and slimmer design.

[0223] In either of the aforementioned alternative embodiments involving the merging of components, the adjustability to fit any trekking pole is lost. However, if a combination of embodiments is intended for a specific, known trekking pole, then this adjustability may not be desired or necessary.

[0224] Grabber Mount - Alternative Geometries

[0225] In the first embodiment, shown in Figs. 11 A to 11D, grabber mount 216 and grabber mount insert 218 preferably share a particular spline geometry that enables them to be torsionally coupled together. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other geometries exist that could produce similar torsional coupling effects. For instance, whereas the first embodiments depict a spline geometry that follows the entire length of grabber mount 216 and grabber mount insert 218, similar results could also be obtained with a spline geometry that only exists partway along the length of each component. In some embodiments, the spline geometry could even be removed altogether, with the friction between each clamped surface providing sufficient resistance to the torsional rotation of grabber mount 216, which can best be visualized through inspection ofFig. 13B.

[0226] One alternative embodiment of these components is shown in Figs. 41 Ato 41D. Grabber mount 7216 and grabber mount insert 7218, rather than containing spline geometry along their entire length, contain spline geometry only at their bottom end. In comparison to the first embodiments, this embodiment may be easier to manufacture, and the components may be less prone to getting stuck with respect to one another.

[0227] In general, the geometry of grabber mount 216, as shown in Fig. 11 A, can be altered in other embodiments. For example, whereas the first embodiment of grabber mount 216 has two flanges 216A that straddle grabber arm 250, as seen in Fig. 12A, other means of pivotal mounting are acceptable, and grabber mount 216 can also have zero, one, three, or more flanges. The shapes of said flanges can also be altered. For example, they can be biased upwards, rather than downwards, such that the pivot with grabber arm 250 is located farther from the bottom end of the trekking pole 502 it attaches to.

[0228] Grabber Assembly - Multi-Link Grabbers

[0229] The present disclosure has described preferred grabber assembly 200 embodiments, wherein a grabber arm 250 may be pivotally mounted to a grabber mount 216, as shown in Figs. 12A and 12B. However, other grabber assembly embodiments may include a linkage assembly comprising one or more links. Figs. 55 A and 55B depict a multilink grabber assembly 9200, akin to grabber assembly 200 of Figs. 12A and 12B. Upper link 9220 and lower link 9222 may each be pivotally mounted to grabber arm 9214 on one end via pins 9224, and the other ends of upper link 9220 and lower link 9222 may be pivotally mounted to a dual-pivot grabber mount 9216 via pins 9226. Torsion springs 9228 and 9230 may be geometrically constrained via lower link 9222 and dual-pivot grabber mount 9216, biasing the linkage towards an open position, shown in Fig. 55B. Grabber mount insert 9218 may be inserted into dual-pivot grabber mount 9216. In this example, dual-pivot grabber mount 9216 and grabber mount insert 9218 are akin to grabber mount 216 and grabber mount insert 218 of Fig. 11 A, respectively.

[0230] A string 9250 may be connected to lower link 9222, and the multi -link grabber assembly 9200 may be mounted to the basket threads of a trekking pole 502, as shown in Figs. 56A to 56C. Figs. 56A to 56C closely resemble Figs. 15A to 15D from the first embodiments, and as such, it can be assumed that a clampable trigger assembly may be positioned higher on the trekking pole 502 to actuate the string 9250. In this example, the multi-link grabber assembly 9200 may function in nearly the exact same way as the grabber assembly 200 in the first embodiments. When string 9250 is pulled, it may rotate lower link 9222, causing the linkage to move to a closed position, as seen in Fig. 56C. In this closed position, the end of grabber arm 9214 preferably contacts the end of the trekking pole 502, such that an object can reasonably be grabbed between the surfaces of grabber arm 9214 and trekking pole 502. When tension is released from string 9250, the torsion springs 9228and 9230 may return the linkage assembly to its open position, as depicted in Fig. 56A. Fig. 56 depicts a partially closed or “partially rotated” state of the linkage assembly.

[0231] This is just one example of a grabber assembly embodiment in which multiple links are used to form a linkage assembly that determines the motion of grabber arm 9214. In other embodiments, any number of links could be used. Furthermore, string 9250 could be connected to upper link 9220 or other linkage components and yield similar results. In addition, whereas grabber arm 9214 is depicted as being a single uniform component, it could also have means of length adjustment, as described for the first embodiment of grabber arm 250 and for other grabber arm embodiments described herein.

[0232] Essentially, grabber arm 9214 is pivotally mounted to mount 9216 by a connection, wherein the connection may include one or more intermediary links.

[0233] Grabber Assembly - Alternative Mounting Methods

[0234] The present disclosure has described preferred grabber assembly 200 embodiments that mount to basket threads 500D of a trekking pole, an example of which is shown in Fig. 13B. However, there may be alternative grabber assembly 200 embodiments in which a grabber arm 250 is pivotally mounted to a component or combination of components with clamping capabilities, such as a clamp embodiment similar to the clampable trigger assembly 100A embodiment of Figs. 3 A to 3C or to the clampable trigger assembly embodiment of Figs. 30A to 30C. This component or combination of components could share features with the grabber mount embodiment 216 of Figs. 11 A and 12A, such as the two flanges 216A that straddle the grabber arm 250 and / or the spring cutout geometries 216B that contain torsion springs 222 and 224. In use, this alternative grabber assembly embodiment could have the ability to clamp onto any cylindrical object of a predetermined range of diameters, similarly to the other clamp embodiments of the present disclosure. As such, this grabber assembly embodiment could clamp to the pole section 500B of a trekking pole or similar walking device, either above or below the trekking pole’s shoulder 500C, and may even be clamped onto the trekking pole basket threads 500D directly. In other examples, this grabber arm embodiment may be clamped near the bottom of a cane, crutch, or other walking device that does not have basket thread features.

[0235] In other grabbing-enabled trekking pole embodiments 600, grabber assembly 200 may be mounted or otherwise attached to a trekking pole 502 or other walking device in other ways. For example, in other embodiments of grabbing-enabled trekking poles 600,a grabber mount 216 may be built integrally into a trekking pole 502 rather than mounted via the pole’s basket threads 500D. In such a case, an assembled grabber arm 250 may by pivotally mounted to a trekking pole 502, which may preferably contain features similar to a grabber mount 216, such as the two flanges 216A that straddle the grabber arm 250 and / or the spring cutout geometries 216B that contain torsion springs 222 and 224.

[0236] Grabber Assembly - List of Alternative Embodiments

[0237] While the first embodiments describe grabber extender body 202 as a thin component that can be housed inside of grabber base 214, other grabber arm 250 embodiments could have a grabber extender body 202 embodiment that is thicker with an inner recess, such that grabber extender body 202 would fit around grabber base 214 instead of inside it.

[0238] In the first embodiment, grabber base 214 preferably contains pin 209, by which string 402 is secured, as seen in Fig. 15D. In other embodiments, the purpose of this pin can be achieved by other means as well. For example, the embodiment of grabber base 3214 in Fig. 33B preferably includes a protrusion 3214A that accomplishes the same purpose.

[0239] In the first embodiment, stiffening member 214A of grabber base 214, best illustrated by Fig. 10B, is present to provide lateral stiffness to the grabber arm assembly. However, this member could be removed in other embodiments - for instance, if sufficient lateral stiffness is obtained by other means. Figs. 31 A and 33B depict one example of what a grabber base embodiment may look like without said stiffening member; in this example, this embodiment is grabber base 3214.

[0240] The first embodiment shows only one embodiment of grabber tip 203, as seen in Fig. 7C. However, grabber tips can come in many different shapes and sizes. For example, for a trekking pole that has a larger distance between its shoulder 500C and tip 500E, as compared to the trekking poles depicted in the first embodiments, it may be warranted to use a grabber tip that is longer. Grabber tip 203 also can be mounted or otherwise joined to grabber extender body 202 in other ways, such as with one or more screws, rivets, pins, and the like. Grabber tip 203 could also be overmolded onto grabber extender body 202. Furthermore, other embodiments may exclude grabber tip 203 altogether, in which case grabber extender body 202 would contact objects directly when grabbing them. One example of a grabber arm embodiment with no grabber tip is shown in Figs. 36Ato 36C.

[0241] In the various embodiments described herein, the grabber base (e.g., 214, 3214, 4214, and 5214) and grabber extender body (e.g., 202, 3202, 4202, and 5202) preferably have a curvature to their overall shape. However, they could also be straight, curved, or otherwise shaped in other embodiments. Likewise, the slot geometry — for instance, 214F of the first embodiment — of grabber base and / or grabber extender body embodiments may be curved, straight, or of any suitable shape in other embodiments.

[0242] The embodiments discussed thus far have included a discrete length adjustability of the grabber arm, such as by gaps 214G in grabber base 214, as seen in Fig. 10C, or gaps 4202A in grabber extender body 4202, as seen in Fig. 35D. However, it would also be possible to achieve a continuous, rather than discrete, adjustment mechanism by using screws and nuts, or other fasteners and coupling methods, instead of pins. For example, the embodiment of Fig. 34A could use screws for pin 4204 and / or 4208 with a nut or similar on the other side of grabber base 4214, such that said screw(s) could be tightened, causing grabber base 4214 to deflect and clamp down onto grabber extender body 4202, holding it in place with friction. This alternative embodiment could eliminate the need for adjustment clip 4234 or gaps 4202A of grabber extender body 4202, but it could also potentially require tools for length adjustment.

[0243] In the first embodiment, two torsion springs, 222 and 224, are installed at the pivot axis of grabber base 214 and grabber mount 216, as seen in Fig. 12A. However, other embodiments could have one torsion spring or any other number of torsion springs.

[0244] Container - Alternative Mounting Methods

[0245] The first embodiment has been described as including a container clamp 301, as shown in Fig. 19B. However, in other embodiments, other methods of mounting or otherwise attaching the container assembly 300 to a trekking pole or other walking device are also possible. For example, the clamp does not need to be adjustable and may instead be shaped to fit a single, predesignated pole geometry. Furthermore, the container assembly 300 may be integrated into a trekking pole directly, without the ability to easily remove said container assembly from said trekking pole.

[0246] An alternative container clamp 8350 embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 42A and 42B. This clamping mechanism may bear a close resemblance with prior art, particularly with U.S. Patent D798,940 S (2017) to GoPro, Inc, which is designed to mount onto a poleshaped object of varying diameter, within a predetermined range of diameters. Square nuts 8358 are preferably inserted into the rectangular cutouts of clamp base 8351, and dowel nut8360 may be inserted into a hole in clamp base 8351, preferably secured in place by a shoulder geometry on one side and an internal retaining ring 8362 on the other, which may engage with an internal groove geometry of clamp base 8351. A rotating clamp member 8352 preferably pivotally mounts to clamp base 8351 via pin 8354, and thumb screw 8356 preferably screws into dowel nut 8360.

[0247] In operation, thumb screw 8356 may be either removed from dowel nut 8360 or loosened enough such that thumb screw 8356 and dowel nut 8360 can rotate together, making space for rotating clamp member 8352 to be rotated open such that the clamp can be placed around a cylindrical object. To tighten the clamp, the thumb screw 8356 should be rotated into the partial slot of rotating clamp member 8352, as is shown in Fig. 42B, and then tightened.

[0248] In addition to container clamp embodiments, this clamping mechanism may also be applied to other embodiments of clampable trigger assembly 100A and 100B.

[0249] Container - List of Alternative Embodiments

[0250] In the first embodiment, two torsion springs, 314 and 316, are installed at the hinges of container body 302 and container lid 304, as seen in Fig. 21 A. However, in other embodiments, having just one torsion spring installed would also be acceptable. In other embodiments, more than two torsion springs could be used. Furthermore, torsion springs about the hinge can be assembled to the container assembly 300 in different ways and do not need to be centered about the hinge pins.

[0251] Some users may wish to insert a small trash bag, such as the ones commonly used to pick up dog poop, into container body 302 such that the container is lined with the trash bag in the way that household trash bins are commonly lined with garbage bags. In this case, it may be desirable to have an alternative container embodiment in which the features of container lid 304 and container body 302 that create the hinge between these two components are moved further inboard, such that the two hinges are closer to one another. Alternatively, the two hinge points could be combined into a single hinge point, accomplishing the same task. In either case, having the hinge closer inboard could make it easier to line container body 302 with a small trash bag without said trash bag tending to fall into container body 302. The hinge features in discussion are best seen in Figs. 20B and 21 A. A user may choose to hold said trash bag to the container body via a rubber band or the like wrapped around the container body’s 302 outer surface, holding the top of the trash bag against said outer surface. If a trash bag is used in this way, the locking capabilitiesmay still function as long as the trash bag is not too thick or bunched up around the rim of the container body 302.

[0252] Other alternative embodiments relate to the container’s latching mechanism, which is best illustrated by Fig. 25D. Pin 312, which is inserted into latch 306, could be eliminated in other embodiments if latch 306 contained integral geometry that served the same purpose. Additionally, whereas the latching protrusion 302A of container body 302 is one geometry that allows latch 306 to lock against container body 302, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other geometries, such as cutouts rather than protrusions, are capable of obtaining similar results.

[0253] As described before in the first embodiments, string 404 preferably passes through string hole 304A of container lid 304 and slides along a smooth surface of container lid 304, as best seen in Fig. 25A. An alternative to this smooth surface would be to install a pulley, pivotally mounted to container lid 304, that string 404 could pass along. Furthermore, other embodiments could exclude the tapered recess 304B of container lid 304, or the tapered recess 304B may take on other geometries that also allow the container lid to open further, such as a recess that is not tapered.

[0254] While latching protrusion 302A of container body 302 is one geometry that allows latch 306 to lock against container body 302, as best illustrated by Fig. 25D, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other geometries, including cutouts rather than protrusions, could be capable of obtaining similar results.

[0255] In other embodiments, tapered recess 304B, as seen in Fig. 25A, may be excluded or may take on other geometries, such as a recess that is not tapered.

[0256] In some alternative container embodiments, it may be desirable to exclude the latching capability altogether, if, for example, the hinge torsion springs 314 and 316 of Fig. 21A are stiff enough to keep container lid 304 closed without a latch. In this case, string 404 could be tied or otherwise coupled directly to container lid 304, and latch 306, latching protrusion 302A, and other related features could be omitted.

[0257] In general, the shape and size of container body 302, as seen in Fig. 22B, is subject to change in other embodiments. For example, it may be desirable to shape the container body such that it appears less bulky, or to resize the container body to accommodate smaller or larger objects.

[0258] In the first embodiment, the container assembly is preferably attached to container clamp 301 via two screws 322, as seen in Fig. 22A. However, any other reasonable means of attaching these two assemblies is acceptable.

[0259] Overall Assembly - List of Alternative Embodiments

[0260] While the first embodiment discusses both a grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 and storage-enabled trekking pole 700, these two assemblies can be used independently from one another and are in no way required to be used together. Although, using them together does provide advantages of being able to grab and store objects simultaneously. Furthermore, the placement of clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B and container assembly 300 are not restricted to the locations depicted in the drawings. For example, a user may prefer to have their clampable trigger assembly or container assembly located higher or lower along the trekking pole than is shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, in other embodiments, these assemblies may be clamped or otherwise attached to parts of the trekking pole other than the pole section 500B, such as the handle 500A.

[0261] While the present disclosure has, thus far, described attachments to trekking poles, including clampable trigger assemblies (100A and 100B), grabber assemblies (200), and container assemblies (300), which clamp or otherwise mount to trekking poles or other walking devices, other embodiments of grabbing-enabled trekking poles 600 and storage- enabled trekking poles 700 may have equivalent features built integrally into the trekking pole. Such embodiments would lose the modularity that has been described before as an advantage. However, it may enable lighter and more ergonomic grabbing-enabled trekking poles 600 and storage-enabled trekking poles 700.

[0262] Any combination of modular and integral components may be used. For example, a container assembly 300, clamped to a trekking pole, could be actuated by a trigger assembly that is integral to the trekking pole, rather than clamped to it. As another example, a grabber assembly 200 could have its grabber mount 216 built integrally into a trekking pole rather than mounted to its basket threads, while being actuated by a clampable trigger assembly 100A that is clamped to said trekking pole.

[0263] COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER

[0264] The present document thus far has considered a container assembly 300 that includes a container body 302 that is relatively rigid in nature. However, this section introduces a collapsible version of the container, which differs significantly in function from the aforementioned rigid container embodiments.

[0265] Preferred Embodiments of a Collapsible Container

[0266] Figs. 43A and 43B illustrate the assembly of an example embodiment of collapsible rim assembly 10301. This assembly preferably contains four pinned links: aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, and fore rim links 10306A and 10306B. Aft rim links 10304A and 10304B may be pivotally connected to linkage base 10302 via pins 10310. Throughout the present disclosure, the center axes of pins 10310, or more generally, the pivot axes of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B with respect to the linkage base 10302, will be referred to as the “pivots” of said aft rim links. Fore rim links 10306A and 10306B may be pivotally connected to each other via pin 10309 and to aft rim links 10304A and 10304B via pins 10308. Two torsion springs, 10316A and 10316B, may be centered about pins 10310 and geometrically constrained by aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, respectively, and by the linkage base 10302. Two pulleys 10312 may be pivotally mounted to linkage base 10302 via pins 10314. Pin 10315 may be inserted into linkage base 10302. The linkage base 10302 may be mounted to a container clamp 8350 via screws 10317. Various possible positions of the four links are illustrated in Figs. 44A and 44B. In preferred embodiments, the four links may be shaped to be symmetric about the phantom centerline indicated in Fig. 44A. However, in other embodiments, these four links may be asymmetric about said centerline. For the preferred embodiments described in the present section, it may be assumed that aft rim links 10304A and 10304B are exact mirrors of each other, mirrored about the plane coincident with the phantom centerline shown in Fig. 44A and extending directly into the page of Fig. 44A. In preferred embodiments, the overall profiles of fore rim links 10306A and 10306B may be assumed to be mirrored in the same way, except that the link ends may be slightly different to allow for said fore rim links to create a pinned joint together, as seen in Fig. 43 A. Furthermore, when describing the rotations of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B for preferred embodiments, it may be assumed that said links are configured to rotate in opposite directions, such that they may retain symmetry about the phantom centerline of Fig. 44A.

[0267] In preferred embodiments, the assembly of linkage base 10302 and the four links (aft rim links 10304 A and 10304B and fore rim links 10306 A and 10306B) constitute a pinned linkage assembly that may also be described as a rim, collapsible rim, or rim linkage assembly, in which the space enclosed by these components, when viewing the collapsible rim assembly 10301 from a top orthogonal or “plan” view (as seen, for example, in Fig. 44A) may be described as the “opening” of said rim or of said collapsible rimassembly 10301. In Fig. 44A, 10301A, 10301B, and 10301C refer to the enclosed space, or opening, of said rim for three positions or states: closed, partially open, and open, respectively. In the closed position, the enclosed space 10301A has a relatively small area- to-perimeter ratio and may be described as a small, mostly uniform gap along its perimeter that forms a “U” shape, which can be seen most clearly in the plan view in Figs. 45A and 46B. In the open position, as best seen in Fig. 47B, the enclosed space 10301C may be described as wide open, with a nearly circular shape and a much larger area-to-perimeter ratio as compared to the closed position.

[0268] Generally speaking, when the rim of collapsible rim assembly 10301 is in its closed position, it creates a shape in which objects cannot reasonably pass through, whereas when the rim is in its open position, it creates a shape in which objects can reasonably pass through. This, for instance, means that other collapsible rim embodiments may have enclosed spaces of different shapes for the closed position. For example, the enclosed shape of collapsible rim assembly 10301, while in its closed position, could more closely resemble a “V” shape or could make any other shape in which the opening of an installed bag 10318 would be reasonably considered to be closed. Furthermore, when describing a “U” or “V” shape, these descriptions should be interpreted to mean approximate shapes. For instance, the vertical lines on a “U” may be bowed inward or outward, or the curved portion at the bottom of the “U” may be composed of straight and / or jagged line segments. Additionally, other embodiments may have different shapes for the open position. For example, instead of a nearly circular shape, as is seen in Figs. 44A, 47B, and 48C, the rim may take on a shape that more closely resembles a square, trapezoid, triangle, or any other shape that could reasonably describe the shape of a bag opening that is “open”. Furthermore, whereas preferred embodiments of the collapsible rim assembly 10301 comprise four links, other embodiments of the collapsible rim assembly 10301 may comprise any number of links to construct the rim linkage assembly.

[0269] Torsion springs 10316A and 10316B preferably apply moments to aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, respectively, to rotationally bias the rim linkage assembly into its closed position, which is shown in Fig. 45A. In preferred embodiments, torsion springs 10316A and 10316B may have equal stiffness but may be wound in opposite directions. A string 10401 is preferably installed into linkage base 10302 and wrapped around pulleys 10312, as shown in Fig. 45B. String 10401 may also be wrapped around pulley geometries 10304C and 10304D of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, respectively, as seen in Figs.45B and 46B. The ends of string 10401 may also be fed through holes 10304E and 10304F of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, respectively, and tied at both ends, producing two knots, 10401A and 10401B, as seen in Fig. 46B. Said knots are preferably made to be too large to pass through said holes, which may allow the ends of string 10401 to engage with and therefore couple with aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, respectively, as seen in Fig. 46B. Other methods of fixing or otherwise coupling the ends of string 10401 to aft rim links 10304A and 10304B are also possible in other embodiments. The presence of pin 10315, as best seen in Fig. 45B, may prevent string 10401 from falling between the pulleys 10312 or from becoming twisted or tangled in a way that might interfere with the alignment of string 10401 with respect to the pulleys 10312. In other embodiments, pin 10315 may be excluded, or its function may be accomplished by other geometries of linkage base 10302 or other components.

[0270] A second string 10400 is preferably tied or otherwise coupled to the center of string 10401, producing a knot 10400A, as seen in Fig. 45B. While many types of knots are possible, it is preferable to use a knot that allows string 10401 to slide through the knot 10400A, such that when string 10400 is pulled vertically, as indicated by the vertical arrow in Fig. 45B, string 10401 may receive nearly equal tension on both sides of knot 10400A. One type of knot that may yield these results is a reverse clinch knot, wrapped one or more times. As a result, a vertical force on string 10400 may be converted into moments of approximately equal magnitude about each of the aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, about their respective pivots, which in turn constitutes a means for rotationally coupling aft rim links 10304 A and 10304B, preferably such that they are constrained to rotate by approximately the same amount for a given vertical displacement of string 10400. Coupling aft rim links 10304A and 10304B in this way may enable the rim linkage assembly to maintain approximate symmetry about the phantom centerline shown in Fig. 44A, while the collapsible rim assembly 10301 is opened and closed via pulling string 10400.

[0271] When tension is applied to string 10400, said tension may be transferred to string 10401, redirected along pulleys 10312, and applied to aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, causing them to rotate opposite of their aforementioned rotational biases, such that the linkage assembly is opened, which constitutes a means for opening collapsible rim assembly 10301, as best illustrated by Figs. 45B, 46B, and 47B. When the tension in string 10400 is released, the rotational biases from torsion springs 10316A and 10316B preferably return the linkage assembly back into its closed position, as seen in Fig. 46B, whichconstitutes a means for closing collapsible rim assembly 10301. Generally speaking, preferred embodiments of the collapsible rim assembly 10301 described herein may be further described as having means of being opened and closed by adding and removing tension applied to a string.

[0272] Stopping protrusions 10302A, or other equivalent geometry, may be included in linkage base 10302 such that when the links reach the open position, they cannot rotate any further due to contact between stopping protrusions 10302A and aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, as is shown in Fig. 47B.

[0273] The pulley geometries 10304C and 10304D of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, respectively, are preferably shaped to guide string 10401 such that as collapsible rim assembly 10301 opens, string 10401 unwraps from said pulley geometries while applying moments to aft rim links 10304A and 10304B about their respective pivots, as is illustrated by Figs. 46B and 47B. These pulley geometries 10304C and 10304D may be nonuniformly shaped such that the moment arms of string 10401 about the pivots of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, respectively, vary as collapsible rim assembly 10301 opens. For example, the embodiments shown in Fig. 46B and 47B have pulley geometries 10304C and 10304D that create larger moment arms when collapsible rim assembly 10301 is open than when it is closed. Other embodiments may include pulley geometries 10304C and 10304D of uniform radius or of other uniform or nonuniform geometries.

[0274] In other embodiments, these two strings, 10401 and 10400, may be replaced by one or more strings or other coupling devices to accomplish the same task.

[0275] The functionality of the collapsible rim assembly 10301 may become evident when a bag, pouch, or other flexible container is installed, such as bag 10318 shown in Fig. 48C. The installation of bag 10318 into collapsible rim assembly 10301 completes the collapsible container assembly 10300. The opening of the bag 10318 is preferably constrained to the rim components (linkage base 10302, aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, and fore rim links 10306A and 10306B) of collapsible rim assembly 10301 in such a way that the opening of bag 10318 generally conforms to the shape of the rim of collapsible rim assembly 10301, as seen in Figs. 48A to 48C. As such, when the collapsible rim assembly 10301 is in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 48A, the bag 10318 is closed, such that any objects inside cannot reasonably escape. When string 10400 is pulled, bag 10318 is gradually opened, following the progression between Figs. 48A, 48B, and 48C, respectively, until bag 10318 is opened such that objects can reasonably be placed inside.When the tension of string 10400 is released, the collapsible rim assembly 10301 once again closes, as does bag 10318. With respect to the positions of the four links (aft rim links 10304A and 10304B and fore rim links 10306A and 10306B), the definitions of “open” and “closed” are generally synonymous between the collapsible rim assembly 10301, the collapsible container assembly 10300, and the bag 10318.

[0276] Generally speaking, preferred embodiments of the collapsible container assembly 10300 described herein may be further described as having means of being opened and closed by adding and removing tension applied to a string.

[0277] The bag 10318 embodiment illustrated in Figs. 48Ato 48C preferably contains a cutout 10318A that may provide clearance for collapsible container assembly 10300 to fully close without interference between bag 10318 and linkage base 10302. In this embodiment, when the collapsible container assembly 10300 goes from open to closed, as seen in Figs. 48C to 48A, respectively, the edges of cutout 10318A are positioned closely to linkage base 10302, and linkage base 10302 covers the opening of bag 10318 in such a way that the bag 10318 may still reasonably be described as closed, since objects are still reasonably prevented from escaping bag 10318. Other embodiments may comprise different bag 10318 designs that may or may not include a cutout 10318A feature and may include or exclude other features.

[0278] Figs. 48Ato 48C show a collapsible container embodiment 10300 in which the bag 10318 is folded over the rim and sewn to itself, which is just one of many ways to constrain bag 10318 to collapsible rim assembly 10301. Other fastening methods may include fabric snaps, Velcro (hook and loop fasteners), or any other suitable method, which may either fasten bag 10318 to itself or to the rim components directly. Whereas the embodiments shown in Figs. 48Ato 48C do not depict any direct connection between bag 10318 and linkage base 10302, other embodiments may include such a connection, such as with a fabric snap or other fastening method.

[0279] To use collapsible container assembly 10300, it may first be mounted or otherwise attached to a trekking pole or other walking device, preferably via container clamp 8350. Fig. 49 shows collapsible container assembly 10300 and a clampable trigger assembly 10100 attached to a trekking pole 10504 with string 10400 connecting collapsible container assembly 10300 to clampable trigger assembly 10100, resulting in a collapsible- storage-enabled trekking pole 10700. Clampable trigger assembly 10100 is akin to clampable trigger assemblies 100A and 100B described in the first embodiments, and assuch, string 10400 may be connected to clampable trigger assembly 10100 according to methods previously described for the first embodiments, as shown, for example, in Fig. 24B. Because string 10400 mechanically couples clampable trigger assembly 10100 and collapsible container assembly 10300, pressing on the trigger 116 of clampable trigger assembly 10100 may result in the opening of collapsible container assembly 10300, and releasing the trigger 116 may cause collapsible container assembly 10300 to close. Figs. 50A, 50B, and 50C depict the collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700 embodiment of Fig. 49, with collapsible container assembly 10300 opening as the trigger 116 of clampable trigger assembly 10100 is rotated, as indicated by the curved arrow in each figure.

[0280] Essentially, the container comprises a collapsible rim (e.g., collapsible rim assembly 10301) and a bag 10318 with a closed end and an open end, wherein the open end of the bag 10318 is fastened to the collapsible rim. The container assembly comprises a container string (e.g., string 10400 and / or 10401) connecting the container trigger 116 to one or more components of the collapsible rim, such that, when the container assembly is mounted to a pole, the container string biases the trigger 116 towards a first position (e.g., closed position), the collapsible rim is biased towards a closed state, and pivoting of the trigger 116 from the first position to a second position (e.g., open position) pulls a first end of the container string to expand the collapsible rim from the closed state to an open state. The collapsible rim may comprise: a linkage base 10302 having a first side and a second side; a first aft rim link 10304 A having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first aft rim link 10304A is pivotally connected to the first side of the linkage base 10302; a second aft rim link 10304B having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second aft rim link 10304B is pivotally connected to the second side of the linkage base 10302; a first fore rim link 10306A having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first fore rim link 10306 A is pivotally connected to the second end of the first aft rim link 10304 A; and a second fore rim link 10306B having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second fore rim link 10306B is pivotally connected to the second end of the second aft rim link 10304B, and wherein the second end of the second fore rim link 10306B is pivotally connected to the second end of the first fore rim link 10306A. The first aft rim link 10304A may be biased to pivot in a first rotational direction relative to the linkage base 10302, and the second aft rim link 10304B may be biased to pivot in a second rotational direction, relative to the linkage base 10302, which isopposite the first rotational direction. A second end of the container string, opposite the first end of the container string, may be attached to one or both of the first aft rim link 10304 A or the second aft rim link 10304B, such that, when the first end of the container string is pulled by the pivoting of the trigger 116 from the first position to the second position, the first aft rim link 10304A pivots in the second rotational direction and the second aft rim link 10304B pivots in the first rotational direction. In the closed state, the collapsible rim may enclose a U-shaped or V-shaped space in plan view.

[0281] The embodiments of Fig. 49 may be compared to those of Fig. 1. Storage- enabled trekking pole 700 may serve a similar purpose to collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700, but collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700 has a collapsible container, whereas storage-enabled trekking pole 700 has a rigid one. When used alongside a grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600, either type of storage-enabled trekking pole, 700 or 10700, may be used, and the previously described functionality of grabbing and storing litter and other objects still generally applies.

[0282] When a user hikes with a collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700, and they encounter litter, the user may press on the trigger 116 of clampable trigger assembly 10100, which opens collapsible container assembly 10300 such that said litter can be placed inside bag 10318. One option is to hold a grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 in one hand and a collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700 in the other, using grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 to grab the litter and place it into the bag 10318. Alternatively, the litter can be grabbed and placed into the bag 10318 by other means, such as grabbing by hand or with tweezers, tongs, etc.

[0283] In addition to opening and closing bag 10318, the rim components of collapsible rim assembly 10301 also serve the purpose of being low-profile while in the closed position. As seen in Figs. 45A, 48A, and 50A, the combined rim linkage assembly, comprising linkage base 10302, aft rim links 10304A and 10304B, and fore rim links 10306A and 10306B, may create a “U” shape and wrap around the trekking pole 10504 when in the closed position, creating a small footprint that “hugs” close to the pole. If a user hikes with a collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700, the collapsible container assembly 10300 is expected to be closed for the majority of the hike. As such, the collapsible container assembly 10300 may be neatly retracted and out of the way while the user hikes. However, when the user is ready to load trash or other objects into the collapsible container assembly 10300, the profile of the collapsible container assembly 10300 expandsinto an open container that is offset from the trekking pole 10504, such that the bag 10318 is open and easily accessible for placing objects inside. In summary, the shaping of these rim components may allow an effectively large container to be mounted to a trekking pole while still maintaining a low profile during hiking or walking.

[0284] The bag 10318 shown in Figs. 48Ato 48C may come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials. For example, it may be made of fabric, such as cotton, nylon, or polyester, or it may be made from a plastic bag material, similar to that of a typical kitchen trash bag. If temporary attachment methods, such as fabric snaps or Velcro, are used to fasten bag 10318 to the rim of collapsible rim assembly 10301, the bag 10318 may be conveniently removable for cleaning or replacement. Optionally, users may also line the inside of bag 10318 with a small garbage bag, such as dog poop bag, to enable easier trash removal and to avoid getting bag 13018 dirty.

[0285] Alternative Embodiments of a Collapsible Container

[0286] The present disclosure describes embodiments of collapsible rim assembly 10301 that comprise multiple links, namely aft rim links 10304A and 10304B and fore rim links 10306A and 10306B. While such links are depicted as being single rigid bodies, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a link may be replaced by a plurality of links that are stiffly joined to one another and therefore still behave in a relatively rigid manner. For instance, two links that are pivotally connected to each other at a joint, but with one or more springs or flexures acting to resist the rotation of this joint, may still be considered to behave as a single link. Furthermore, links are not required to be rigid and may be flexible in other embodiments.

[0287] Fig. 51 depicts an alternative embodiment of a collapsible container assembly 10300 comprising a bag 10318 that has one or more pockets 10318B, such that a grabbing tool, such as a pair of tweezers 10320, may be placed inside said pocket 10318B. With this embodiment, if, for example, a user, who is hiking with a collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700 in their left hand, encounters a piece of litter, they may remove the tweezers 10320 from the pocket 10318B with their right hand, open the collapsible container assembly 10300 with their left hand via clampable trigger assembly 10100, grab the litter with tweezers 10320 in their right hand and place said litter into the bag 10318 of collapsible container assembly 10300, then release their left hand from the trigger 116 of clampable trigger assembly 10100 to close container assembly 10300, and lastly place the tweezers 10320 back into pocket 10318B. This is just one example of how a collapsible-storage-enabled trekking pole 10700 may be used independently of a grabbing-enabled trekking pole 600 while still retaining litter collection functionality. Likewise, a similar setup could be used with a rigid storage-enabled trekking pole 700, in which a pair of tweezers or other grabbing tool could be similarly attached to the container assembly 300 for easy access and storage.

[0288] While the illustrated embodiments depict a clear image of the enclosed space made by the collapsible rim in plan view, such as in Fig. 44A, it should be noted that other embodiments of collapsible rim assembly 10301 may contain components or features that obstruct this clear view. For example, aft rim links 10304A and 10304B could have overhanging features that, when viewed from a plan view, could cover the opening of the collapsible rim while in its closed state and obscure the “U” shape. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that even with the view of the rim’s enclosed space obstructed from plan view, the “effective” opening may still be described according to descriptions included for various embodiments herein, such as being U-shaped, V-shaped, or similar.

[0289] Other embodiments may comprise a linkage assembly that does not form a closed loop and therefore does not create an enclosed space, as long as an installed bag can still be reasonably closed and opened by adding and removing tension applied to a string.

[0290] Other embodiments may have aft rim links 10304A and 10304B that share a pivot about linkage base 10302, rather than each of the aft rim links having their own pivot.

[0291] In other embodiments, rotationally coupling aft rim links 10304A and 10304B may be accomplished by methods other than those previously described. For example, in other embodiments, aft rim links 10304A and 10304B could contain gear geometries centered about their respective pivots, and those gear geometries could be meshed together to create a rotational coupling effect. In such embodiments, it may be possible that a moment only needs to be applied to one aft rim link rather than to both, in which case different configurations may be used, such as with only one string, one pulley, or with a pulley geometry on only one of the aft rim links.

[0292] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other methods may be used to rotate various embodiments of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B and therefore to open and close various embodiments of collapsible rim assembly 10301. For instance, if other embodiments of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B contain gear geometries centered about their respective pivots, they may be reasonably rotated by rotating one or more other meshed gears, perhaps via a motor or lever, rather than by pulling a string. As such,embodiments of the collapsible rim assembly may be more generally described as having means of being opened and closed by rotating one or both aft rim links.

[0293] Figs. 52A to 52C illustrate two additional functions that may be included in other embodiments of collapsible rim assembly 10301. Fig. 52A illustrates an alternative aft rim link embodiment 11304A, akin to aft rim link 10304A, that includes additional features. Flexure clip 11312A may be fastened to aft rim link 11304A via screws 11308 and nuts 11310, and a linkage lock 11314 may be pivotally mounted to aft rim link 11304A via pin 11306. Fig. 52B depicts a linkage base embodiment 11302, akin to linkage base 10302, that contains a locking notch geometry 11302A on both sides. Fig. 52C illustrates an alternative collapsible rim assembly embodiment 11301, akin to the collapsible rim assembly embodiment 10301 of Fig. 43 A but with its aft rim link 10304A and its linkage base 10302 replaced by the alternative embodiments depicted in Figs. 52A and 52B. Furthermore, the other aft rim link, 10304B, has been replaced by a mirrored version of the embodiment of Fig. 52A, comprising mirrored versions of all assembled components.

[0294] When the collapsible rim assembly embodiment 11301 of Fig. 52C is open, linkage locks 11314 of both sides may be rotated to engage with the locking notch geometries 11302A of linkage base 11302, thus holding the collapsible rim assembly 11301 in its open position and preventing it from closing. This may be useful for holding the collapsible rim assembly 11301 open while installing a bag 10318, loading objects into said bag, or when cleaning the components of collapsible rim assembly 11301.

[0295] In the collapsible rim assembly embodiment 11301 of Fig. 52C, 11301 A refers to the small gap between aft rim link 11304A and flexure clip 11312A. Similarly, an equivalent small gap 11301B exists on the mirrored aft rim link assembly. These small gaps 11301A and 11301B may be useful when a user wants to line bag 10318 with a dog poop bag, or similar, as the user is able to tuck said dog poop bag into these small gaps, which in turn holds said dog poop bag in place, as flexure clip 11312A and its mirrored counterpart may flex and therefore clamp down on said dog poop bag. Other collapsible rim assembly embodiments may include other holding devices, such as clips, along the rim to hold a dog poop bag, or similar, in place.

[0296] Whereas preferred embodiments include an adjustable clamping mechanism, such as container clamp 8350, to clamp the collapsible container assembly 10300 to a trekking pole or other walking device, other embodiments of collapsible-storage-enabled trekking poles 10700 may include a collapsible container assembly 10300 that is connectedto said trekking pole in other ways, such as with non-adjustable clamping or other mounting methods. In some embodiments, the linkage base 10302 may even be built integrally into the trekking pole itself, rather than clamped to it.

[0297] Other alternative collapsible container assembly 10300 embodiments may include a linkage base 10302 that has an adjustable or nonadjustable clamp built directly into it, rather than mounting to a separate container clamp 8350. For example, in the embodiments of Figs. 43 A and 43B, linkage base 10302 and clamp base 8351, which is identified in Fig. 42A, may be merged into a single component, which may also remove the need for related fastening hardware.

[0298] Whereas preferred embodiments utilize torsion springs 10316A and 10316B to return the collapsible rim assembly 10301 to its closed position, any number of springs, of any type, may be used in other embodiments to accomplish the same task.

[0299] Whereas preferred embodiments comprise pulleys 10312, other embodiments may employ other methods of redirecting the tension of string 10401, such as with pins or other rounded, nonrotating geometries. Furthermore, other embodiments may include different pulley locations or orientations that redirect the tension of string 10401 in such a way that aft rim links 10304A and 10304B can rotate.

[0300] Whereas preferred embodiments of aft rim links 10304A and 10304B include pulley geometries 10304C and 10304D, respectively, other embodiments may exclude these pulley geometries or may comprise other geometries, so long as string 10401 is still able to supply moments to said aft rim links about their respective pivots.

[0301] Whereas preferred embodiments of collapsible rim assembly 10301 and collapsible container 10300 are described as being preferably attached to a trekking pole or other walking device, other embodiments of these devices may have use in other applications, including ones that are not explicitly detailed the present disclosure. In particular, different functionality may be obtained by replacing the clamping functionality — primarily via container clamp 8350, seen in Fig. 43 A — with other features or components. One example of this is to replace the clamping functionality with a handle to create a handheld collapsible container assembly 12300, as illustrated in Figs. 53 A to 54C. Fig. 53 A shows a handheld linkage base 12302 that, compared to linkage base 10302 of the previously described preferred embodiments, comprises a handle 12302A instead of clamping capabilities. As seen in Fig. 53B, a handle trigger 12304 and pulley 12306 may be pivotally mounted to handheld linkage base 12302 via pins 12308 and 12310,respectively. For brevity, it can be presumed that the linkage components, pulleys, and other relevant hardware of the preferred embodiments of collapsible rim assembly 10301, as best seen in Fig. 43A, may be assembled to handheld linkage base 12302 (as previously described) to create handheld collapsible rim assembly 12301, as seen in Fig. 53C. String 12312 may be attached to the end of handle trigger 12304 and configured, either on its own or with one or more other string components, to open and close handheld collapsible rim assembly 12301, as previously described in preferred embodiments, and as shown in Fig. 53C. Constraining the opening of a bag 12314 to the rim of handheld collapsible rim assembly 12301 completes the assembly of the handheld collapsible container assembly 12300 embodiment shown in Figs. 54Ato 54C.

[0302] The handheld collapsible container assembly 12300 depicted in Figs. 53A to 54C may function in a way that is very similar to the preferred collapsible container 10300 embodiments previously described. Figs. 54 A to 54C show how by rotating handle trigger 12304, the collapsible rim may be opened and closed, thus opening and closing bag 12314. In practice, a user may carry this device with one hand, and by squeezing and releasing handle trigger 12304, may open and close the rim and bag 12314 to enable the user to conveniently store objects inside of the bag 12314.

[0303] The handheld collapsible container assembly 12300 of Figs. 54Ato 54C can be compared to devices such as embroidery hoops or the Garbo Grabber Trash Bagger device of U.S. patent D657,107 S (2012) to Fitzpatrick and Goodrich, as described in the background section of the present disclosure. While these devices of the prior art can be used to hold a bag open, they generally remain open even when trash is not being loaded in. Therefore, the handheld collapsible container assembly 12300 provides the advantage of collapsing to a smaller size when a user is not loading in trash or other objects. As such, this device could be more comfortable to walk with. Furthermore, whereas prior art devices often include handles that are offset from the rim of the bag, the handheld collapsible container assembly 12300 may have its handle positioned approximately above the center of gravity of its contents held within its bag 12314 when in its closed state, which may make it easier and more comfortable to carry than other devices.

[0304] OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

[0305] The reader will see that the various embodiments of this disclosure, when installed onto a pair of trekking poles, or similar, enable a person to conveniently grab and store objects without sacrificing the original functionality of the trekking poles.Furthermore, some components, including the described involute clamping mechanism and collapsible rim, contain functionality that can be useful in other applications independent from trekking poles.

[0306] While my above descriptions contain many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification as one or more embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible, several of which are explained in detail in the section above. Other ramifications are listed below:

[0307] Whereas many of the preferred embodiments presented in the present disclosure are primarily made of plastic, many other materials are possible, including aluminum or steel. Using different materials might result in reshaping of components to make better use of their material properties.

[0308] Whereas standard hardware components (screws, nuts, springs, pins, etc.) were described as being preferably made of steel, they could also be made of other materials, such as aluminum, titanium, or even plastic, depending on the application.

[0309] It should be understood that while some preferred fasteners (e.g., pins, screws, etc.) and coupling methods have been provided for coupling two or more components together, in other embodiments, any other suitable coupling device, method, or fastener may be used.

[0310] While some components are described as being able to be combined or merged into a single component, this is not intended to be limiting; one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other components not explicitly mentioned may also potentially be merged while still serving their intended purpose.

[0311] Torsion springs have been described as preferred rotational biasing devices, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any suitable spring or equivalent mechanism may be used which may serve the same purpose.

[0312] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that across various embodiments, a single spring may be replaced with multiple springs, and likewise, multiple springs may be replaced by more or less springs, to achieve similar rotational or linear biasing effects.

[0313] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that in instances where pulleys are used to redirect the tension of a string, these pulleys may reasonably be replaced by equivalent nonrotating geometry that accomplishes a similar task. Likewise, instances where fixed geometry is used to redirect the tension of a string may reasonably be replaced by one or more pulleys.

[0314] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many acceptable ways to pivotally mount one or more components together, and that illustrating a particular way of pivotally connecting two components does not limit the use of other configurations.

[0315] Throughout the present document, the phrases “substantially perpendicular” and “substantially parallel” are used to describe the relative orientation between components. For example, two axes may be described as substantially perpendicular or parallel to one another. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that, while preferred orientations may be perfectly perpendicular or parallel, these orientations may be somewhat skewed in reality. Therefore, “substantially perpendicular” and “substantially parallel” may be interpreted to mean within ± 15 degrees angularly from one another.

[0316] Some of the embodiments described in the present disclosure are designed with preferred manufacturing methods in mind, such as 3D printing. It should be understood that these embodiments may be reasonably modified such that they are better suited for different manufacturing processes, for example, injection molding.

[0317] While the embodiments described in the present disclosure are motivated by the need for convenient means of picking up trash on trails, there are many other uses for these embodiments. For example, someone with limited mobility might prefer to use a trekking pole, equipped with the disclosed embodiments, over using a standard cane, such that they can reach objects from afar and / or store objects.

[0318] All embodiments containing means of clamping to cylindrically-shaped obj ects, including clampable trigger assemblies, container assemblies, and some grabber assembly embodiments, can be mounted and used on all walking devices and cylindrically-shaped objects.

[0319] All the described grabber assembly embodiments with basket thread mounting capabilities can be mounted to anything that has basket threads and a shoulder, or equivalent geometry. This generally includes trekking poles and hiking staffs but may also include other walking devices or non-walking devices.

[0320] Whereas many embodiments are described as being clampable onto cylindrically-shaped objects, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that objects that are not entirely cylindrical, but that contain cylindrical segments, such as a bent tube with a straight portion, may also apply.

[0321] The scope of the present disclosure should be determined not by the embodiment s) illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalence.

[0322] ADVANTAGES

[0323] Grabbing Capabilities

[0324] The prior art contains examples of attachments that can enable grabbing capabilities. Nonetheless, if these prior art devices were to be applied to trekking poles or hiking staffs, they would be bulky, in part because the basket threads of a trekking pole would get in the way of mounting a grabber arm near the bottom of the trekking pole, requiring a long, bulky, and possibly heavy grabber arm. Furthermore, the means of mounting said attachments to walking devices described in the prior art typically require tools and are therefore inconvenient to assemble. In contrast, the present disclosure describes embodiments that can easily mount to trekking poles without tools, making use of the basket threads of a trekking pole to easily mount a grabber arm near the bottom of said trekking pole. These embodiments are also lightweight and compact such that they do not significantly interfere with the normal use of said trekking pole.

[0325] Storage Capabilities

[0326] While the prior art contains examples of containers fitting to poles, it does not contain any examples of solid, lidded containers designed particularly for use on trekking poles, hiking staffs, and the like. Furthermore, the previously mentioned examples of prior art describe C-shaped clamps that deform around a pole to clamp to it, which would not provide the clamping force needed to securely hold a container to a trekking pole while hiking without said container tending to rotate or slide about the trekking pole’s axis. The present disclosure describes embodiments of a container with an integrated clamping mechanism that allows it to easily and securely mount to a trekking pole without the need for tools. Furthermore, no examples in the prior art depict a container with a lid, attached to a pole, with means of opening and closing said lid without physically touching it. The present disclosure describes embodiments that allow a user to open, close, and in some embodiments, lock and unlock the container lid all simply by pressing a single convenient trigger that is connected to the lid by a string.

[0327] The present disclosure also describes container embodiments that are collapsible in nature that have not been found in the prior art. The prior art includes handheld, rigid hoops and rims that hold open bags, but these can be bulky to walk or hike with. The collapsible container embodiments described herein are low-profile when closed and therefore attractive while a user is hiking, yet they can expand when said user is readyto load in trash or other objects. The collapsible and malleable nature of these collapsible container embodiments also enables them to pack down into a small space when stored in a backpack or elsewhere. Some collapsible container embodiments can be attached to a trekking pole for convenient trash storage while hiking, while other embodiments can be handheld. Handheld versions of the collapsible container have the benefit of being more balanced to carry compared to other prior art devices, since when the collapsible container is in its closed state, the weight of the bag and its contents is more centered beneath the handle.

[0328] Clampable Tigger Assemblies

[0329] Triggers of the prior art, in the context of grabbing-enabled walking devices, generally require tools and are not reasonably easy to retrofit to a trekking pole. Furthermore, prior art examples of grabbing-enabled walking devices often involve pulleys or other string redirection methods that are located at various places along the length of the walking device. The clampable trigger assembly embodiments of the present disclosure offer a single device that can be easily retrofitted to a trekking pole without any tools, and which redirects a string without needing other pulleys or devices. Therefore, it serves as an all-in-one modular package that can provide linear actuation to a grabber arm, container, or any other device attached to a pole.

[0330] Clamping Capabilities

[0331] The prior art includes many examples of adjustable pole clamps, though it does not, to the inventor’s knowledge, include any cases where the clamp’s main body is composed of a softer material, like plastic, and strategically reinforced with a stiffer material, like steel. The embodiments in the present disclosure illustrate how standard fasteners and the like can be used to stiffen a plastic clamp enough that it is usable in high- load clamping scenarios.

[0332] The prior art also includes ways to modify the end of the clamping screw with a thrust plate, which can better distribute the load and can optionally be made of a relatively soft material. In either case, the damage to the clamped object is mitigated. The presently disclosed embodiments describe an alternative way of cushioning the clamping screw via a rotating clamping member of involute geometry. This alternative approach involves hardware and components that may be simpler to manufacture or find, as compared to the examples within the prior art. Furthermore, the addition of the involute clamping membercan provide added stiffness to the clamp in the directions orthogonal to the screw’s thrust axis.

[0333] EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0334] Some example embodiments will now be described.

[0335] As one example, a kit for a first pole and a second pole may be provided. The kit may comprise a grabber system that comprises a mounting apparatus comprising an internal aperture around a longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus, wherein an inner surface of the internal aperture comprises circumferential threads that are configured to mate with the basket threads of the first pole, a grabber arm pivotally mounted to the mounting apparatus, a grabber clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the first pole, a grabber trigger pivotally mounted to the grabber clampable trigger assembly, and a grabber string configured to connect the grabber trigger to the grabber arm; and a container system that comprises a container clamp configured to clamp to the second pole, a container connected to the container clamp, a container clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the second pole, a container trigger pivotally mounted to the container clampable trigger assembly, and a container string configured to connect the container trigger to one or more components of the container that are configured to transition the container between an open state and a closed state.

[0336] As another example, a mechanical device for grabbing may be provided. The mechanical device may comprise: a grabber mount with first means of threading onto a trekking pole’s basket threads and being secured in place by pressing against the shoulder of said trekking pole; a grabber arm that pivotally attaches to said grabber mount and is able to contact near the trekking pole end when rotated, whereby an object can reasonably be grabbed by the grabber arm and trekking pole end; a string, connected to said grabber arm and that, when pulled, causes said grabber arm to rotate; and one or more spring devices that return said grabber arm to its original home position, away from the trekking pole tip. Said grabber arm may include second means of being adjusted in length. Said grabber mount may include an interchangeable threaded insert, whereby said grabber mount can appropriately fit to trekking pole basket threads of varying shape and size.

[0337] As another example, a grabber mount may be provided that comprises: internal thread geometry that allows said grabber mount to be attached to the basket threads and shoulder of a trekking pole; geometry of said grabber mount that presses against saidshoulder of said trekking pole when said grabber mount is attached to the basket threads of said trekking pole; and geometry of said grabber mount by which an object can be pivotally mounted to said grabber mount. The grabber mount may further include spring cutout geometry or equivalent.

[0338] As another example, a device that connects to trekking pole basket threads may be provided. The device may comprise: a grabber mount and grabber mount insert with first means of torsionally coupling to one another and second means of attaching to the basket threads and shoulder of a trekking pole or similar walking device. The device may further include geometry of said grabber mount by which an object can be pivotally mounted to said grabber mount; and spring cutout geometry of said grabber mount.

[0339] As another example, an adjustable grabber arm may be provided that comprises: a grabber base and grabber extender body with combined means of releasably adjusting the position of said grabber extender body, whereby the effective length of the adjustable grabber arm is altered. Alternatively, the adjustable grabber arm may comprise: a grabber base, grabber extender body, and adjustment clip with combined means of releasably adjusting the position of said grabber extender body, whereby the effective length of said adjustable grabber arm is altered.

[0340] As another example, a mechanical device for providing linear actuation may be provided. The mechanical device may comprise: a clamp capable of attaching to a cylindrically shaped object of predetermined diameter or range of diameters; a trigger that pivotally attaches to said clamp; a string that ties or otherwise couples to said trigger, whereby said string provides linear actuation when said trigger is rotated; and a pulley or rigid feature of said clamp with means of redirecting said string to be near the surface of said clamped cylindrically shaped object. Said trigger may contain cleat features that enable means of tying or otherwise coupling said string to said trigger. The mechanical device may further include a toothed cam pivotally mounted to said trigger whereby said toothed cam and said trigger secure said string in place.

[0341] As another example, a container assembly may be provided that comprises: a container body capable of holding objects; a clamp capable of attaching to a cylindrical object of predetermined diameter or range of diameters, such as a trekking pole, cane, or crutch; a container lid that pivotally attaches to said container body; one or more spring components that return said container lid to its closed position; a latch pivotally mounted to said container lid, whereby said latch locks against said container body and prevents saidcontainer lid from opening; one or more spring components that return said latch to its closed position; and a string attached to said latch, whereby pulling said string unlocks said latch and opens said container lid. The container lid may contain a tapered recess or equivalent feature, whereby said container lid is able to open further.

[0342] As another example, an adjustable clamp for mounting to a cylindrically-shaped object of predetermined diameter or range of diameters may be provided. The adjustable clamp may comprise:

[0343] a main body that resembles the shape of a C-clamp, with a V-shaped surface on one side;

[0344] a threaded hole in said main body opposing the center of said V-shaped surface;

[0345] a screw that engages with said threaded hole, whereby rotating said screw causes said screw to move closer to said cylindrically-shaped object being clamped; and

[0346] an involute clamping member pivotally mounted to said main body and positioned between the tip of said screw and said cylindrically-shaped object being clamped, whereby the involute clamping member is shaped such that both opposing surfaces follow an involute geometry that allows both surfaces to remain normal to the thrust axis of said screw for any operable angle of rotation of said involute clamping member.

[0347] As another example, an involute clamping member may be provided that comprises:

[0348] means of being pivotally mounted to a first object; and

[0349] a concave surface of involute geometry and a convex surface normally offset from said concave surface such that both surfaces orthogonally intersect at a stationary axis, whereby said involute clamping member can be reasonably pressed on the concave surface by a screw along said axis and the convex surface can press against a second object along said axis.

[0350] As another example, an apparatus may be provided that comprises: a walking device containing basket thread and shoulder geometry, such as a trekking pole or hiking staff; a trigger assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; a grabber assembly, mounted to said basket thread and shoulder geometry of said walking device via internal thread geometry; and a string coupled to the trigger of said trigger assembly and to the grabber arm of said grabber assembly, whereby the rotational actuation of said trigger causes the grabber arm of said grabber assembly to rotate such that an object can bereasonably picked up via opposing forces from said grabber arm and the bottom end of said walking device. The grabber arm of said grabber assembly may have means of length adjustability.

[0351] As another example, an apparatus may be provided that comprises: a walking device, such as a trekking pole, hiking staff, crutch, or cane; a trigger assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; a grabber assembly mounted near the bottom end of said walking device, with said grabber assembly containing a grabber arm with means of length adjustment; and a string coupled to the trigger of said trigger assembly and to the grabber arm of said grabber assembly, whereby the rotational actuation of said trigger causes said grabber arm to rotate such that an object can be reasonably picked up via opposing forces from said grabber arm and the bottom end of said walking device.

[0352] As another example, an apparatus may be provided that comprises: a walking device, such as a trekking pole, hiking staff, crutch, or cane; a trigger assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; a container assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; and a string coupled to the trigger of said trigger assembly and to the container lid of said container assembly, whereby the rotational actuation of said trigger causes said container lid to open.

[0353] As another example, an apparatus may be provided that comprises: a walking device, such as a trekking pole, hiking staff, crutch, or cane; a trigger assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; a container assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; a string coupled to the trigger of said trigger assembly and to the latch of said container assembly, whereby the rotational actuation of said trigger causes said latch to unlock from the container body of said container assembly and causes the lid of said container assembly to open.

[0354] As another example, a collapsible rim assembly may be provided that comprises: a linkage base; two aft rim links, pivotally mounted to said linkage base; two fore rim links, pivotally mounted to each other and to said two aft rim links; means of rotationally coupling said two aft rim links; means of being opened and closed by adding and removing tension applied to a string. The assembly of said linkage base, aft rim links, and fore rim links may produce an enclosed space that is “U” shaped when closed and nearly circular in shape when open. The collapsible rim may further include a clamp capable of attaching to a trekking pole, cane, or other walking device of cylindrical geometry.

[0355] As another example, a collapsible rim assembly may be provided that comprises: a linkage base; two aft rim links, pivotally mounted to said linkage base; two fore rim links, pivotally mounted to each other and to said two aft rim links; means of rotationally coupling said two aft rim links; means of being opened and closed by adding and removing tension applied to a string. The assembly of said linkage base, aft rim links, and fore rim links may produce an enclosed space that is “U” shaped when closed and nearly circular in shape when open. The collapsible rim assembly may further include a handle connected to said linkage base and a handle trigger pivotally connected to said handle, whereby rotating said handle trigger from a first position to a second positions adds and removes tension applied to said string to open and close said collapsible rim assembly.

[0356] As another example, a collapsible rim assembly may be provided that comprises: a linkage base; two aft rim links, pivotally mounted to said linkage base; two fore rim links, pivotally mounted to each other and to said two aft rim links; means of being opened and closed by adding and removing tension applied to a string.

[0357] As another example, a collapsible rim assembly may be provided that comprises: a linkage base; two aft rim links, pivotally mounted to said linkage base; two fore rim links, pivotally mounted to each other and to said two aft rim links; means of being opened and closed by rotating one or both of said aft rim links.

[0358] As another example, a collapsible container assembly may be provided that comprises: a linkage base; two aft rim links, pivotally mounted to said linkage base; two fore rim links, pivotally mounted to each other and to said two aft rim links; a bag, constrained to said aft rim links and fore rim links; means of being opened and closed by adding and removing tension applied to a string. The assembly of said linkage base, aft rim links, and fore rim links may produce an enclosed space that is “U” shaped when closed and nearly circular in shape when open.

[0359] As another example, a collapsible container assembly may be provided that comprises: a linkage base; a linkage rim of one or more links, connected to said linkage base; a bag, constrained to said linkage rim; means of being opened and closed by adding and removing tension applied to a string.

[0360] As another example, an apparatus may be provided that comprises: a walking device, such as a trekking pole, hiking staff, crutch, or cane; a trigger assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; a collapsible container assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device; a string coupled to the trigger of said triggerassembly and to the aft rim links of said collapsible container assembly, whereby the rotational actuation of said trigger causes said collapsible container assembly to open or close.

[0361] As another example, an apparatus may be provided that comprises: a walking device, such as a trekking pole, hiking staff, crutch, or cane; a collapsible rim assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device. The rim of said collapsible rim assembly, when closed, may form a “U” shape that wraps around said walking device.

[0362] As another example, an apparatus may be provided that comprises: a walking device, such as a trekking pole, hiking staff, crutch, or cane; a collapsible container assembly, clamped or otherwise attached to said walking device. The rim of said collapsible container assembly, when closed, may form a “U” shape that wraps around said walking device.

[0363] It should be understood that any of the examples above may be provided individually or in combination with any one or more of the other examples above.

[0364] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. It is further understood that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly not limited.

[0365] As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “comprise,” and “comprises” are open- ended. For instance, “A comprises B” means that A may include either: (i) only B; or (ii) B in combination with one or a plurality, and potentially any number, of other components. In contrast, the terms “consisting of,” “consist of,” and “consists of’ are closed-ended. For instance, “A consists of B” means that A only includes B with no other component in the same context.

[0366] Combinations, described herein, such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof’ include any combination of A, B, and / or C, and mayinclude multiples of A, multiples of B, or multiples of C. Specifically, combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof’ may be A only, B only, C only, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C, and any such combination may contain one or more members of its constituents A, B, and / or C. For example, a combination of A and B may comprise one A and multiple B’s, multiple A’s and one B, or multiple A’s and multiple B’s.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A grabber assembly for a pole that comprises basket threads, the grabber assembly comprising: a mounting apparatus comprising an internal aperture around a longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus, wherein an inner surface of the internal aperture comprises circumferential threads that are configured to mate with the basket threads of the pole; and a grabber arm pivotally mounted to the mounting apparatus.

2. The grabber assembly of Claim 1, wherein the mounting apparatus comprises a mount and an insert, wherein the insert is removably inserted within the mount along the longitudinal axis so as to be concentric with the mount and torsionally coupled to the mount about the longitudinal axis, wherein the insert comprises the inner aperture, and wherein the grabber arm is pivotally mounted to the mount.

3. The grabber assembly of Claim 1, wherein a length of the grabber arm is adjustable.

4. The grabber assembly of Claim 3, wherein the grabber arm comprises: a base; a body that slides along the base to extend or retract to each of a plurality of positions; and a fixing mechanism that impermanently fixes a position of the body, relative to the base, at any one of the plurality of positions.

5. The grabber assembly of Claim 4, wherein the body comprises a plurality of teeth, wherein each adjacent pair of the plurality of teeth are separated by a gap, representing one of the plurality of positions, wherein the base comprises the fixing mechanism, and wherein the fixing mechanism comprises a clip that is rotatable into and out of each gap-6. The grabber assembly of Claim 1, wherein the grabber arm is biased to pivot in one rotational direction around a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

7. The grabber assembly of Claim 1, further comprising: a grabber clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the pole; and a grabber trigger pivotally mounted to the grabber clampable trigger assembly.

8. The grabber assembly of Claim 7, further comprising a grabber string connecting the grabber trigger to the grabber arm, such that, when the grabber assembly is mounted to the pole, the grabber string biases the grabber trigger towards a first position and pivoting of the grabber trigger from the first position to a second position pulls an end of the grabber string which causes the grabber arm to pivot in a rotational direction.

9. The grabber assembly of Claim 8, wherein the grabber trigger comprises a cam contact wall and a rotatable toothed cam that is biased towards a closed position in which the rotatable toothed cam presses the grabber string against the cam contact wall, to thereby lock the grabber string in place relative to the grabber trigger.

10. A system comprising: the grabber assembly of Claim 6 configured to be mounted on a first pole; and a container assembly configured to be mounted on a second pole, wherein the container assembly comprises a container clamp configured to clamp to the second pole, and a container connected to the container clamp.

11. The system of Claim 10, wherein the container assembly further comprises: a container clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the second pole; and a container trigger pivotally mounted to the container clampable trigger assembly.

12. The system of Claim 11, wherein the container comprises a lid, wherein the container assembly further comprises a container string connecting the container trigger to the lid, such that, when the container assembly is mounted to the second pole, the container string biases the container trigger towards a first position, the lid is biased towards a closedstate, and pivoting of the container trigger from the first position to a second position pulls an end of the container string to rotate the lid from the closed state to an open state.

13. The system of Claim 12, wherein the container further comprises a latch that, when in a locked position, locks the lid in the closed state, wherein pulling the end of the container string further moves the latch from the locked position to an unlocked position, and wherein releasing the end of the container string moves the latch from the unlocked position to the locked position.

14. The system of Claim 11, wherein the container comprises a collapsible rim, and wherein the container assembly further comprises a container string connecting the container trigger to one or more components of the collapsible rim, such that, when the container assembly is mounted to the second pole, the container string biases the container trigger towards a first position, the collapsible rim is biased towards a closed state, and pivoting of the container trigger from the first position to a second position pulls a first end of the container string to expand the collapsible rim from the closed state to an open state.

15. The system of Claim 14, wherein the collapsible rim comprises: a linkage base having a first side and a second side; a first aft rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first aft rim link is pivotally connected to the first side of the linkage base; a second aft rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second aft rim link is pivotally connected to the second side of the linkage base; a first fore rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first fore rim link is pivotally connected to the second end of the first aft rim link; and a second fore rim link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second fore rim link is pivotally connected to the second end of the second aft rim link, and wherein the second end of the second fore rim link is pivotally connected to the second end of the first fore rim link.

16. The system of Claim 15, wherein the first aft rim link is biased to pivot in a first rotational direction relative to the linkage base,wherein the second aft rim link is biased to pivot in a second rotational direction relative to the linkage base, wherein the second rotational direction is opposite the first rotational direction, wherein a second end of the container string, opposite the first end of the container string, is attached to one or both of the first aft rim link or the second aft rim link, such that, when the first end of the container string is pulled by the pivoting of the container trigger from the first position to the second position, the first aft rim link pivots in the second rotational direction and the second aft rim link pivots in the first rotational direction.

17. The system of Claim 16, wherein, in the closed state, the collapsible rim encloses a U-shaped or V-shaped space in plan view.

18. The system of Claim 11, wherein each of one or both of the grabber trigger clamp and the container trigger clamp comprises: a main body configured to surround at least a portion of a respective pole from the first and second poles; an involute clamping member comprising a contact surface and a clamping surface that is opposite the contact surface, wherein the involute clamping member is pivotally connected to the main body; and a screw, inserted through the main body, to contact the contact surface of the involute clamping member, such that tightening of the screw presses the clamping surface of the involute clamping member against the respective pole.

19. The system of Claim 18, wherein the main body comprises a concave surface configured to face the respective pole, opposite the clamping surface of the involute clamping member, such that tightening of the screw fixes the respective pole between the clamping surface of the involute clamping member and the concave surface of the main body.

20. A kit for a first pole and a second pole, the kit comprising: a grabber system that comprises a mounting apparatus comprising an internal aperture around a longitudinal axis of the mounting apparatus, wherein an inner surface of the internal aperturecomprises circumferential threads that are configured to mate with the basket threads of the first pole, a grabber arm pivotally mounted to the mounting apparatus, a grabber clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the first pole, a grabber trigger pivotally mounted to the grabber clampable trigger assembly, and a grabber string configured to connect the grabber trigger to the grabber arm; and a container system that comprises a container clamp configured to clamp to the second pole, a container connected to the container clamp, a container clampable trigger assembly configured to clamp to the second pole, a container trigger pivotally mounted to the container clampable trigger assembly, and a container string configured to connect the container trigger to one or more components of the container that are configured to transition the container between an open state and a closed state.

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