초록 ▼

A water-tight, rigid plastic, domed, sphero-cylindrical protective cap is configured to be removably fitted over the convex head of a steel tent stake. The protective cap defines a sphero-cylindrical interior compartment that has a substantially flat circular base with an axial aperture. The protect

A water-tight, rigid plastic, domed, sphero-cylindrical protective cap is configured to be removably fitted over the convex head of a steel tent stake. The protective cap defines a sphero-cylindrical interior compartment that has a substantially flat circular base with an axial aperture. The protective cap is bilaterally hinged so that the interior compartment can be opened and the axial aperture bifurcated so as to accept the stake head for insertion through the base and enclosure within the interior compartment when the cap is closed. The bilaterally hinged structure of the cap enables it to be easily attached and removed from the tent stake, so that it can be taken off and replaced when the tent is being moved. This avoids a major problem of non-removable stake caps, which become deformed when the stakes are pulled up and hammered back into the ground. In some embodiments, to enhance visibility, the upper dome of the protective cap is translucent or transparent and includes within its interior one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A protective tent stake cap apparatus, comprising: a protective cap in combination with a tent stake having a convex stake head and a substantially cylindrical or tapered cylindrical shank, in which the stake head has a diameter and the shank has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of th

1. A protective tent stake cap apparatus, comprising: a protective cap in combination with a tent stake having a convex stake head and a substantially cylindrical or tapered cylindrical shank, in which the stake head has a diameter and the shank has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the stake head;wherein the protective cap comprises a rigid plastic, bilaterally-hinged, sphero-cylindrical enclosure, which defines a sphero-cylindrical interior compartment, wherein the enclosure comprises an upper dome, a cylindrical wall and a flat circular base, which base has a circular axial aperture that accesses the interior compartment, and wherein the axial aperture has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the stake head but greater than the diameter of the shank, and wherein the interior compartment comprises an upper domed compartment space, a middle compartment space and a base compartment space;wherein the protective cap further comprises two bilateral partitions, consisting of a first partition and a second partition, and wherein the bilateral partitions are connected on a distal side by a hinge and are releasably connectible on a proximal side by a connective mechanism, such that, when the connective mechanism is released, the bilateral partitions are mutually rotatable apart from one another about the hinge, so as to put the enclosure into an open position, in which open position the axial aperture is bifurcated so as to allow the stake head to be inserted into the base compartment space, and such that, with the stake head inserted into the base compartment space, the bilateral partitions are mutually rotatable together about the hinge and are securable together by the connective mechanism, so as to put the enclosure into a closed position, in which position the stake head is enclosed by the protective cap, such that the protective cap is secured from sliding off the tent stake due to the larger diameter of the enclosed stake head in relation to the diameter of the axial aperture. 2. The protective cap of claim 1, wherein the bilateral partitions are asymmetrical, such that one of the partitions is a larger partition and the other is a smaller partition. 3. The protective cap of claim 2, wherein the domed compartment space of the larger partition contains one or more LEDs, and wherein the middle compartment space within the larger partition contains a battery compartment, which serves to secure one or more batteries as an electrical power source for the one or more LEDs, and wherein the upper dome of the enclosure is translucent or transparent so that illumination of the one or more LEDs is transmitted outside the enclosure so as to render the tent stake more visible and to thereby reduce tripping hazards associated with the tent stake. 4. The protective cap of claim 3, wherein an electrical connection between the batteries and the one or more LEDs is provided by a button contact switch, which extends into the base compartment space of the larger partition and activates the electrical connection upon being engaged by the stake head. 5. The protective cap of claim 3, wherein an electrical connection between the batteries and the LEDs is provided by a manually operable external switch located on the wall of the enclosure. 6. The protective cap of claim 3, wherein an electrical connection between the batteries and the LEDs is provided by a light sensor switch, such that the LEDs are extinguished during daylight conditions and are illuminated during night or darkness conditions.