Portable cone

Abstract

Embodiments of portable cones are disclosed herein. One disclosed embodiment, for example, comprises a resilient coil spring having successive coils of decreasing diameter. The resilient coil spring of this embodiment has a generally conical shape in its natural state and is compressible into a compressed state. This embodiment further includes a cone-body cover formed from at least one fabric. The cone-body cover is disposed about an exterior of the resilient coil spring and is pulled substantially taut against the exterior of the resilient coil spring when the coil spring extends towards its natural state. The cone-body cover further comprises a tip region and a lower edge. The portable cone further includes a base to which the lower edge of the cone-body cover is attachable, thereby defining between the base and the cone-body cover a first interior in which the resilient coil spring is housed. The base of this embodiment also defines a second interior in which one or more weights (e.g., disc-shaped weights) are located.

1 . A portable cone, comprising: 
 a resilient coil spring having successive coils of decreasing diameter, the resilient coil spring having a generally conical shape in its natural state and being compressible into a compressed state;    a cone-body cover formed from at least one fabric, the cone-body cover being disposed about an exterior of the resilient coil spring and being pulled substantially taut against the exterior of the resilient coil spring when the coil spring extends towards its natural state, the cone-body cover further comprising a tip region and a lower edge; and    a base to which the lower edge of the cone-body cover is attachable, thereby defining between the base and the cone-body cover a first interior in which the resilient coil spring is housed,    the base further defining a second interior in which one or more weights are located.    
   
   
       2 . The portable cone of  claim 1 , wherein the base is also formed from one or more fabrics.  
   
   
       3 . The portable cone of  claim 1 , wherein the base and the one or more weights located in the interior of the base are disc-shaped.  
   
   
       4 . The portable cone of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more weights are rubber.  
   
   
       5 . The portable cone of  claim 1 , wherein the cone-body cover comprises multiple regions, at least one of the multiple regions being formed from a meshed fabric.  
   
   
       6 . The portable cone of  claim 1 , wherein the cone-body cover is formed entirely from a meshed fabric.  
   
   
       7 . The portable cone of  claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of the tip region of the cone-body cover comprises a first fastener, and wherein an interior surface of the base comprises a second fastener configured to engage the first fastener.  
   
   
       8 . The portable cone of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a clam-shell cover comprising a first half and a second half, the first half and the second half being configured to couple to one another and form a third interior in which the cone-body cover and the resilient support structure can be enclosed in their compressed state.  
   
   
       9 . A portable cone, comprising: 
 a support structure having a generally conical shape in an expanded state and a generally flat disc shape in a compressed state;    a flexible cover disposed about an exterior of the support structure and defining a substantially conical shape when the support structure extends towards its expanded state, the flexible cover further comprising a tip region and a lower edge;    a base to which the lower edge of the flexible cover is attachable, thereby forming with the flexible cover an enclosure in which the support structure is positioned;    one or more hook-and-loop fasteners disposed on an interior surface of the base; and    one or more opposing hook-and-loop fasteners disposed on an interior surface of the tip region of the flexible cover and along a common longitudinal axis as the hook-and-loop fasteners on the base,    the hook-and-loop fasteners and the opposing hook-and-loop fasteners being configured to engage each other and hold the resilient support structure substantially in the compressed state.    
   
   
       10 . The portable cone of  claim 9 , wherein the support structure comprises a coil spring.  
   
   
       11 . The portable cone of  claim 9 , wherein the cover is formed from one or more types of flexible material.  
   
   
       12 . The portable cone of  claim 9 , wherein the cover comprises multiple regions, at least one of the multiple regions being formed from a meshed fabric.  
   
   
       13 . The portable cone of  claim 9 , wherein the tip region comprises a flat, circular end portion that is substantially coplanar with the interior surface of the base.  
   
   
       14 . The portable cone of  claim 9 , wherein the base comprises an interior compartment in which one or more weights are contained.  
   
   
       15 . The portable cone of  claim 14 , wherein the base and the weights contained in the base are substantially disc-shaped.  
   
   
       16 . The portable cone of  claim 9 , wherein the cover is attached to the base along a periphery of the base.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a helical support structure having coils of decreasing diameter;    a support-structure cover disposed substantially around an exterior of the helical support structure, the support-structure cover being formed of a flexible material allowing the helical support structure to compress and expand within the support-structure cover; and    a clam-shell case comprising an upper portion and a lower portion coupled together at a hinge region, a lower edge of the support-structure cover being attached to an interior surface of the lower portion of the clam-shell case,    the upper portion and the lower portion of the clam-shell case being configured to join together to form an interior in which the support-structure cover and the helical support structure can be enclosed in a compressed state.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the clam-shell case is formed from one or more fabrics.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the support-structure cover comprises multiple regions, at least one of the multiple regions being formed from a mesh fabric.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the upper portion or the lower portion of the clam-shell case comprises an interior compartment in which one or more weights are located.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the clam-shell case and the weights contained in the clam-shell case are substantially disk-shaped.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the upper portion and the lower portion of the clam-shell case include a fastening mechanism along their respective circumferential edges configured to join the upper portion to the lower portion.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the fastening mechanism comprises one or more zippers.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the upper portion of the clam-shell case is configured to be flipped over the hinge region into an inverted position.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the upper portion and the lower portion of the clam-shell case include a fastening mechanism that joins the lower portion to the upper portion in either the inverted position or in a regular position.  
   
   
       26 . A portable cone, comprising: 
 a resilient coil spring having successive coils of decreasing diameter, the resilient coil spring having a generally conical shape in its natural state and being compressible into a compressed state;    a cone-body cover formed from at least one fabric, the cone-body cover being disposed about an exterior of the resilient coil spring and being pulled substantially taut against the exterior of the resilient coil spring when the coil spring extends towards its natural state, the cone-body cover further comprising a tip region and a lower edge; and    a base to which the lower edge of the cone-body cover is selectively attachable via a one or more fasteners, the base and the cone-body cover forming an interior in which the resilient coil spring is housed when the base and cone-body cover are attached.    
   
   
       27 . The portable cone of  claim 26 , wherein the base is also formed from one or more fabrics.  
   
   
       28 . The portable cone of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more fasteners comprise one or more zippers.  
   
   
       29 . The portable cone of  claim 26 , wherein the interior is a first interior, and wherein the base further comprises a second interior in which one or more weights are located.  
   
   
       30 . The portable cone of  claim 26 , wherein the base is substantially disc shaped.