Collapsible hula hoop and method

Abstract

A method for forming a hula hoop comprising depressing a peg member on a first terminal end section of a cylindrical member, and passing the peg member into an opening on a second terminal end section of the cylindrical member to couple the first terminal end section with the second terminal end section to form a hula hoop. A hula hoop comprising a tube member having a first terminal end section and a second terminal end section, and a connector assembly having a conduit structure coupled to the first terminal end section and slidably disposed in the second terminal end section. The connector assembly additionally has a peg assembly including a peg member passing through an aperture in the conduit structure and slidably positioned within an opening in the second terminal end section.

1 . A method for forming a hula hoop comprising: 
 depressing a peg member on a first terminal end section of a cylindrical member; and    passing the peg member into an opening on a second terminal end section of the cylindrical member to couple the first terminal end section with the second terminal end section to form a hula hoop.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said depressing a peg member comprises depressing a peg member into a spring-biased posture.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  additionally comprising releasing the peg member into a spring-biased relationship with the second terminal end section.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said releasing the peg member into a spring-biased relationship with the second terminal end section is before said passing the peg member into the opening on the second terminal end section.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  additionally comprising sliding a top of the peg member along a portion of the second terminal end section while the top of the peg member remains biased against the portion of the second terminal end section.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said spring-biased posture on said peg member is released after said peg member enters said opening.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said cylindrical member comprises a tube having an internal cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said sliding a top of the peg member along a portion of the second terminal end section comprises sliding a top of the peg member along the internal cylindrical surface of the second terminal end section while the top of the peg member remains biased against the internal cylindrical surface of the second terminal end section.  
   
   
       9 . A method for forming a hula hoop comprising 
 pressing a peg member of a peg assembly into a flex-biased posture and in general alignment with an outside cylindrical surface of a conduit member which houses the peg assembly and is coupled to a first terminal end section of a tube member;    moving an end of the conduit member into a second terminal end section of the tube member;    placing a top of the flex-biased peg member in biased contact with an internal cylindrical surface of the second terminal end section;    sliding the top of the flex-biased peg member along the internal cylindrical surface until the peg member passes into an opening in the second terminal end section for coupling the first terminal end section with the second terminal end section to form a hula hoop.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said peg assembly comprises a shoulder structure supporting the peg member, an arcuate structure bound to the shoulder structure, and a base structure bound to the arcuate structure.  
   
   
       11 . A method for collapsing a hula hoop comprising: 
 removing a peg member from an opening in a second terminal end section by pressing the peg member into a flex-biased posture and in general alignment with an outside cylindrical surface of a conduit member which is coupled to a first terminal end section of a tube member and is at least partly slidably disposed on an internal cylindrical surface in the second terminal end section;    sliding the conduit member along the internal cylindrical surface within the second terminal end section to move the flex-biased peg member away from the opening and place a top of the flex-biased peg member in biased contact with a portion of the internal cylindrical surface;    sliding the biased top of the flex-biased peg member along the internal cylindrical surface until the flex-biased peg member passes out of the second terminal end section to produce the tube member with the first terminal end section being decoupled from the second terminal end section; and    collapsing the tube member into a generally coiled-spring configuration having a plurality of overlapping loops.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said plurality of overlapping loops have generally identical diameters.  
   
   
       13 . A hula hoop comprising a tube member having a first terminal end section and a second terminal end section; a connector assembly having a conduit structure coupled to the first terminal end section and slidably disposed in the second terminal end section, said connector assembly additionally having a peg assembly including a peg member passing through an aperture in said conduit structure and slidably positioned within an opening in the second terminal end section.  
   
   
       14 . The hula hoop of  claim 13  wherein said peg assembly comprises a shoulder structure supporting the peg member, an arcuate structure bound to the shoulder structure, and a base structure bound to the arcuate structure.