Snow pole apparatus and methods therefor

Abstract

A snow pole apparatus comprises a snow pole assembly including a housing having an interior portion and a plurality of pole members located axially in the interior portion of the housing. Each pole member of the plurality of pole members is concentric to another pole member of the plurality of pole members, and a pole retracting member of the snow pole assembly is configured to retract each one of the plurality of pole members into the interior portion of the housing after at least a portion of each one of the plurality of pole members is extended exterior to the interior portion of the housing. The snow pole apparatus further comprises a pole release member configured to permit selective extension of at least a portion of each one of the plurality of pole members exterior to the interior portion of the housing.

1 . A snow pole apparatus comprising, in combination: 
 a snow pole assembly including a housing having an interior portion;    a plurality of pole members located axially in said interior portion of said housing, each pole member of said plurality of pole members is concentric to another pole member of said plurality of pole members; and    a pole retracting member of said snow pole assembly configured to retract each one of said plurality of pole members into said interior portion of said housing after at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members is extended exterior to said interior portion of said housing.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pole release member, said pole release member configured to permit selective extension of at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members exterior to said interior portion of said housing.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each one of said plurality of pole members including one of a plurality of locking pins located at one end of each one of said plurality of pole members and each one of said plurality of pole members having a keyway, each one of said plurality of locking pins of each one of said plurality of pole members engaging said keyway of each one of said plurality of pole members after at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members is extended exterior to said interior portion of said housing thereby permitting coordinated extension and retraction of each one of said plurality of pole members.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising 
 a retracting spring located in a portion of said housing and a tension line having a first end and a second end;    said first end of said tension line coupled to said retracting spring, said second end of said tension line coupled to an inner end portion of a last pole member of said plurality of pole members; and    said retracting spring adapted to retract each one of said plurality of pole members into said interior portion of said housing after a portion of said pole retracting member communicates with at least a first locking pin of said plurality of locking pins.    
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising 
 at least one extending spring; and    said at least one extending spring adapted to extend at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members exterior to said interior portion of said housing after actuating said pole release member.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein each pole member of said plurality of pole members has at least one indentation adapted to engage a portion of said pole release member thereby permitting selective extension of at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members after actuating said pole release member.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pole tip located on an outer portion of one end of a last pole member of said plurality of pole members.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a homing device selectively actuated by a person thereby permitting said person to be located during an emergency.  
     
     
         9 . A method for using a snow pole apparatus comprising the steps of: 
 providing a snow pole assembly including a housing having an interior portion;    providing a plurality of pole members located axially in said interior portion of said housing, each pole member of said plurality of pole members being concentric to another pole member of said plurality of pole members; and    providing a pole retracting member of said snow pole assembly configured to retract each one of said plurality of pole members into said interior portion of said housing after at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members is extended exterior to said interior portion of said housing.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing said snow pole assembly including a pole release member, said pole release member configured to permit selective extension of at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members exterior to said interior portion of said housing;    providing each one of said plurality of pole members including one of a plurality of locking pins located at one end of each of said plurality of pole members;    providing each one of said plurality of pole members having a keyway; and    providing each one of said plurality of locking pins of each one of said plurality of pole members engaging said keyway of each one of said plurality of pole members after at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members is extended exterior to said interior portion of said housing thereby permitting coordinated extension and retraction of each one of said plurality of pole members.    
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a retracting spring located in a portion of said housing;    providing a tension line having a first end and a second end, said first end of said tension line coupled to said retracting spring, said second end of said tension line coupled to an inner end portion of a last pole member of said plurality of pole members;    actuating said pole retracting member;    retracting a first pole member of said plurality of pole members into said interior portion of said housing after a portion of said pole retracting member communicates with a first locking pin of said plurality of locking pins; and    retracting each one of the remaining pole members of said plurality of pole members into said interior portion of said housing after a portion of said pole retracting member communicates with each one of the remaining locking pins of said plurality of locking pins.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one extending spring;    providing said at least one extending spring adapted to extend at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members exterior to said interior portion of said housing;    providing each pole member of said plurality of pole members has at least one indentation adapted to engage a portion of said pole release member;    actuating said pole release member thereby permitting selective extension of at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members; and    securing at least a portion of one of said plurality of pole members in an extended configuration exterior to said interior portion of said housing when at least one indentation of said plurality of pole members engages said pole release member.    
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing each pole member of said plurality of pole members has at least one indentation adapted to engage a portion of said pole release member;    actuating said pole release member thereby permitting selective extension of at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members;    providing a casting motion thereby extending at least a portion of each one of said plurality of pole members; and    securing at least a portion of one of said plurality of pole members in an extended configuration exterior to said interior portion of said housing when at least one indentation of said plurality of pole members engages said pole release member.    
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing said snow pole assembly including a pole tip located on an outer portion of one end of a last pole member of said plurality of pole members; and    placing said pole tip of said snow pole assembly against a snow surface when each one of said pole members is extended exterior to said interior portion of said housing, thereby permitting a person riding a snowboard to push along the snow surface.