초록 ▼

An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections or chains. The linked sections include a plurality of individual segments linked end to end. As the linked segments are extended, each of the individual segments of the linked chains engage individual segments o

An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections or chains. The linked sections include a plurality of individual segments linked end to end. As the linked segments are extended, each of the individual segments of the linked chains engage individual segments of adjacent linked sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual segments of the linked sections disengage from the individual segment of the adjacent linked sections and the individual linked sections may be rolled up into a multi-sided form for compact storage.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An extendable and retractable support column comprising: a plurality of segments, each segment having top and bottom ends, first and second side walls, a plurality of drive openings to assist in extending and retracting the segment when forming the column, and first and second spaced apart and su

1. An extendable and retractable support column comprising: a plurality of segments, each segment having top and bottom ends, first and second side walls, a plurality of drive openings to assist in extending and retracting the segment when forming the column, and first and second spaced apart and substantially parallel longitudinally aligned apertures;a longitudinally aligned aperture of said first and second longitudinally aligned apertures located adjacent each side wall and extending between the top and bottom ends of the segment, each longitudinally aligned aperture having a cross sectional wall of predetermined shape;a transverse aperture extending through the wall of each longitudinally aligned aperture;first and second pivot support blocks, the first pivot support block positioned within the first longitudinally aligned aperture and the second pivot support block positioned within the second longitudinally aligned aperture;each pivot support block comprising:a rigid body having first and second ends and slidably mounted within one of the longitudinally aligned apertures;the rigid body including a pivot aperture adjacent the first end of the rigid body, the pivot aperture being positioned outside the one longitudinally aligned aperture and having a central pivot axis;the rigid body further including an attachment aperture spaced apart from the pivot aperture, the attachment aperture positioned on the rigid body to be coaxial with the transverse aperture of the one longitudinally aligned aperture when the rigid body is inserted within the one longitudinally aligned aperture;a fastening element installed within the transverse aperture of the one longitudinally aligned aperture and passing through the attachment aperture of the pivot support block to retain the pivot support block within the one longitudinally aligned aperture. 2. The extendable and retractable support column of claim 1 wherein the central pivot axes of the pivot apertures of the first and second pivot support blocks are coaxial when the first and second pivot support blocks are attached within the first and second longitudinally aligned apertures, respectively. 3. The extendable and retractable support column of claim 2 wherein the attachment aperture of said rigid body is substantially parallel to the central pivot axis of the pivot aperture of the rigid body. 4. The extendable and retractable support column of claim 1 wherein: the rigid body includes an attachment portion located adjacent the second end of the body, the attachment portion being positioned within the one longitudinally aligned aperture;the rigid body further includes a pivot portion located adjacent the first end of the rigid body and positioned external to the one longitudinally aligned aperture when the fastening element is installed in the transverse aperture and the attachment aperture;the pivot portion including a blade at the first end of the rigid body, the pivot aperture being located within the blade, and the blade having a lateral width that is less than a width of the rigid body. 5. The extendable and retractable support column of claim 4 wherein the attachment portion of each pivot support block has a cross section constructed and arranged to permit the attachment portion to be slidably received within the one longitudinally aligned aperture in either a first position, wherein the blade of the pivot portion is a first distance from an adjacent one of the side walls of the segment, or a second position, wherein the blade is spaced a second distance from the adjacent one of the side walls of the segment, thereby permitting blades of vertically adjacent segments of the column to have central pivot axes of pivot apertures be coaxial. 6. The extendable and retractable support column of claim 4 wherein each pivot support block includes at least one flange extending laterally from the pivot portion of the rigid body so as to bear against the one longitudinally aligned aperture and positioned along the rigid body so as to assure axial alignment of the transverse aperture of the one longitudinally aligned aperture with the attachment aperture of the pivot support block when the flange is in contact with the one longitudinally aligned aperture. 7. The extendable and retractable support column of claim 1 wherein the drive openings are formed in at least one of the walls of the longitudinally aligned apertures. 8. The extendable and retractable support column of claim 7 wherein the drive openings are oriented transverse to the longitudinally aligned apertures. 9. An extendable and retractable support column comprising: a plurality of segments, each segment having an upper and lower end, first and second side walls, and first and second spaced apart and substantially parallel longitudinally aligned apertures;a longitudinally aligned aperture of said first and second longitudinally aligned apertures located adjacent each side wall of the segment and extending between the top and bottom ends of the segment, each longitudinally aligned aperture having a cross sectional wall of predetermined shape;a transverse aperture extending through the wall of each longitudinally aligned aperture;first and second pivot support blocks, the first pivot support block positioned within the first longitudinally aligned aperture and the second pivot support block positioned within the second longitudinally aligned aperture;each pivot support block comprising:a rigid body having first and second ends and a cross sectional configuration positioned within one of the longitudinally aligned apertures;the rigid body including a pivot aperture adjacent the first end of the rigid body, the pivot aperture being positioned outside the one longitudinally aligned aperture and having a central pivot axis;the rigid body including an attachment aperture spaced from the pivot aperture of the rigid body, the attachment aperture positioned on the rigid body to be coaxial with the transverse aperture of the one longitudinally aligned aperture when the rigid body is positioned within the one longitudinally aligned aperture; anda fastening element installed within the transverse aperture of the one longitudinally aligned aperture and passing through the attachment aperture of the pivot support block to retain the pivot support block within the one longitudinally aligned aperture. 10. The extendable and retractable column of claim 9 wherein the rigid body has an attachment portion and a pivot support portion; the attachment portion having a cross section slidably positioned within the one longitudinally aligned aperture and the attachment aperture passing through the attachment portion; andthe pivot support portion extending from the attachment portion and having a narrower cross section than the attachment portion and having the pivot aperture passing through the narrower cross section, the pivot support portion having a substantially rectangular cross section. 11. The extendable and retractable column of claim 10 wherein both the attachment portion and the pivot support portion are substantially rectangular in cross section and at least one side of the pivot support portion is coplanar with a side of the attachment portion with the pivot aperture central pivot axis being substantially perpendicular to the coplanar side. 12. The extendable and retractable column of claim 11 wherein the cross section of the insertion portion is constructed and arranged to permit the insertion portion to be received within the one longitudinally aligned aperture with the coplanar side of the pivot support portion at a first distance from one of the side walls of the segment or at a second, greater distance from the one side wall of the segment, so as to use a pair of pivot support blocks in two vertically adjacent segments and have the central pivot apertures of both support blocks of the pair of pivot support blocks be coaxial when side walls of the vertically adjacent segments are substantially coplanar. 13. A pivot support block useable with an extendable and retractable support column having a plurality of segments, the pivot support block attachable within a longitudinally aligned aperture of a segment of the column and the longitudinally aligned aperture having a cross section of predetermined shape and a transverse aperture passing through the longitudinally aligned aperture, the pivot support block comprising: a rigid body having first and second ends and a cross section constructed and arranged to be slidably receivable within the longitudinally aligned aperture of the segment;the rigid body including a pivot aperture adjacent the first end of the rigid body, the pivot aperture having a central pivot axis;the rigid body further including an attachment aperture spaced from the pivot aperture toward the second end of the rigid body, the attachment aperture positioned on the rigid body to be coaxial with the transverse aperture of the longitudinally aligned aperture when the rigid body is received within the longitudinally aligned aperture; andthe attachment aperture of the rigid body being substantially parallel to the central pivot axis of the pivot aperture of the rigid body. 14. The pivot support block of claim 13 wherein: the rigid body includes an attachment portion located adjacent the second end of the rigid body, the attachment portion having a cross section slidably receivable within the longitudinally aligned aperture;the rigid body further includes a pivot portion adjacent the first end of the rigid body and extending outwardly from the longitudinally aligned aperture when the attachment portion is received within the longitudinally aligned aperture; andthe pivot portion having a blade located at the first end of the rigid body, the pivot aperture being within the blade, and the blade having a lateral width that is less than a width of the rigid body. 15. The pivot support block of claim 14 wherein the cross section of the attachment portion of the pivot support block is constructed and arranged to permit the attachment portion to be slidably receivable within the longitudinally aligned aperture in either a first position, wherein the blade of the pivot portion is a first distance from an adjacent side wall of the segment, or a second position, wherein the blade is spaced a second distance from the adjacent side wall of the segment, thereby permitting blades of two vertically adjacent segments to have central pivot axes of pivot apertures be coaxial when side walls of the vertically adjacent segments are substantially coplanar. 16. The pivot support block of claim 15 wherein each pivot support block includes at least one flange extending laterally from the pivot portion of the rigid body so as to bear against the longitudinally aligned aperture when the rigid body is received in the longitudinally aligned aperture, the flange positioned on the rigid body so as to assure axial alignment of the attachment aperture of the rigid body with the transverse aperture of the longitudinally aligned aperture when the flange is in contact with the upper end of the longitudinally aligned aperture.