Stake with ground engagement feature

Abstract

A ground stake can be easily inserted into the ground and once inserted, the stake includes ground engagement members that can extend out of the stake body to engage into the earth. The ground engagement members, when deployed, can help prevent inadvertent disengagement of the stake from the ground. When the user desires to remove the stake, the user can retract the ground engagement members back into the stake body and easily pull the stake out of the ground for re-use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ground stake comprising:
 a main body having a top surface and a hollow tubular member extending downward from the top surface;   a moveable shaft fitting into the hollow tubular member through a hole in the top surface of the main body;   a connector at a top end of the movable shaft;   at least one ground engagement member pivotably attached at a bottom end of the movable shaft; and   at least one opening in the hollow tubular member, wherein the at least one ground engagement member retracts into and extends out of the at least one opening as the movable shaft is moved between an insertion configuration, with a majority of the ground engagement member disposed inside an outer periphery of the hollow tubular member, and a deployed configuration, with the ground engagement member extending outward from the at least one opening.   
     
     
         2 . The ground stake of  claim 1 , further comprising a deployment arm attached to the connector at the top end of the movable shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The ground stake of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 opposing channels extending upward from opposite sides of the top surface, wherein:   the connector spans between the opposing channels and is movable toward and away from the top surface within the opposing channels; and   rotation of the deployment arm raises and lowers the movable shaft within the hollow tubular member, moving the at least one ground engagement member between the deployed and the insertion configurations.   
     
     
         4 . The ground stake of  claim 3 , wherein the deployment arm includes an arm extension extending from a rotation axis defined by the connector spanning between the opposing channels. 
     
     
         5 . The ground stake of  claim 1 , further comprising a pointed tip extending from a distal end of the hollow tubular member. 
     
     
         6 . The ground stake of  claim 5 , wherein the pointed tip threadably engages with the distal end of the hollow tubular member. 
     
     
         7 . The ground stake of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one opening are two openings at opposite sides of the hollow tubular member; and   the at least one ground engagement member is two ground engagement members extending out of and retracting into respective ones of the two openings.   
     
     
         8 . The ground stake of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ground engagement member has a flattened distal end. 
     
     
         9 . The ground stake of  claim 1 , wherein the ground engagement member, in the insertion configuration, does not extend beyond a surface defined by the hollow tubular member. 
     
     
         10 . The ground stake of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one attachment loop disposed on the top surface of the main body of the stake. 
     
     
         11 . The ground stake of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is a loop. 
     
     
         12 . The ground stake of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one opening is at least one slot. 
     
     
         13 . The ground stake of  claim 12 , wherein each ground engagement member includes:
 a first arm having a first arm upper end pivotably attached to an interior of the hollow tubular member; and   a second arm, having a second arm upper end pivotably connected to a first arm lower end and a second arm lower end pivotably attached at the bottom end of the movable shaft.   
     
     
         14 . A ground stake comprising:
 a main body having a top surface and a hollow tubular member extending downward from the top surface;   a moveable shaft fitting into the hollow tubular member through a hole in the top surface of the main body;   a connector at a top end of the movable shaft;   at least two ground engagement members pivotably attached at a bottom end of the movable shaft;   at least two openings in the hollow tubular member, wherein the at least two ground engagement members retract into and extend out of respective ones of the at least two openings as the movable shaft is moved between an insertion configuration, with a majority of each ground engagement member disposed inside the hollow tubular member, and a deployed configuration, with each ground engagement member extending outward from respective ones of the at least two openings; and   a deployment arm attached to the connector at the top end of the movable shaft, the deployment arm rotatable about an axis to move the movable shaft between the insertion and deployed configurations.   
     
     
         15 . The ground stake of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 opposing channels extending upward from opposite sides of the top surface, wherein:   the connector spans between the opposing channels and is movable toward and away from the top surface within the opposing channels; and   rotation of the deployment arm raises and lowers the movable shaft within the hollow tubular member, moving the at least two ground engagement members between the deployed and the insertion configurations.   
     
     
         16 . The ground stake of  claim 14 , wherein the deployment arm includes an arm extension extending from a rotation axis defined by the connector spanning between the opposing channels. 
     
     
         17 . The ground stake of  claim 14 , wherein the at least two ground engagement members, in the insertion configuration, do not extend beyond a surface defined by the hollow tubular member. 
     
     
         18 . The ground stake of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one attachment loop disposed on the top surface of the main body of the stake. 
     
     
         19 . A method for creating a tie down location in the ground, comprising:
 inserting a ground stake, in an insertion configuration, into the ground, the ground stake comprising:
 a main body having a top surface and a hollow tubular member extending downward from the top surface, a moveable shaft fitting into the hollow tubular member through a hole in the top surface of the main body; 
 a connector at a top end of the movable shaft; 
 at least two ground engagement members pivotably attached at a bottom end of the movable shaft; and 
 at least two openings in the hollow tubular member; and 
   moving the connector to move the moveable shaft upward and to cause the at least two ground engagement members to extend outward from the at least two openings and engage with the ground, creating a deployed configuration of the ground stake, wherein   in the insertion configuration, a majority of each ground engagement member is disposed within an outer periphery of the hollow tubular member, and in the deployed configuration, each ground engagement member extends outward from the at least two openings.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 moving the moveable shaft downward to retract the at least two ground engagement members into the insertion configuration; and   removing the ground stake from the ground when the tie down location is no longer needed.