Impalement hazard protective cap

Abstract

A protective cap to cover impalement hazards, by means of increasing the surface area associated with said hazard may include utilizing a metal plate embedded within a plastic/polymer cap, with a flat top and a receiving shaft housing below, with mechanical means of securing the cap to said hazard with a mechanical plunger. The mechanical plunger is driven from the exterior of the housing by means of a biasing element to selectively engage the impalement hazard and compressively hold the protective cap to the impalement hazard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An impalement hazard protective cap comprising first impact housing having a first, impact surface portion and a second, body portion extending from the first impact portion, the second body portion having a void therein, a plunger disposed in the void and a biasing element for pushing the plunger to one side of the void. 
     
     
         2 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 1  further comprising an actuator, the actuator being disposed at least partially outside of the second, body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator has at least one arm and wherein the arm extends through the second, body portion and is attached to the plunger. 
     
     
         4 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 1 , wherein the second, body portion has a gripping surface disposed on a wall thereof and wherein the plunger has a first, closed position wherein the plunger is disposed immediately adjacent to the gripping surface and a second, open position wherein the plunger is spaced apart from the gripping surface. 
     
     
         5 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 4 , wherein the plunger is pushed into the first, closed position by the biasing element in the form of a spring and wherein the impalement hazard protective cap further comprises an actuator and wherein pushing on the actuator moves the plunger into the second, open position. 
     
     
         6 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator includes a handle portion disposed outside of and adjacent to the second, body portion and at least one arm extending through the second, body portion and into engagement with the plunger and wherein pressing on the second, body portion and actuator moves the plunger into the second, open position. 
     
     
         7 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 6 , wherein releasing the actuator allows the biasing element to force the plunger back into the first, closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises a first arm and a second arm, the first arm and the second arm extending generally parallel to one another, the first arm and the second arm being attached to the plunger. 
     
     
         9 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 8 , wherein the second, body portion has a plurality of slots formed therein for receiving the first arm and the second arm and wherein at least the first slot has a flange disposed there along to hold the arm in the slot. 
     
     
         10 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 9 , further comprising a third arm and a fourth arm, each of the first arm, the second arm, the third arm and the fourth arm are attached to the plunger. 
     
     
         11 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 9 , wherein each slot has a flange and wherein each arm has a beveled portion disposed adjacent the flange. 
     
     
         12 . An impalement protective cap comprising a first, impact portion and a second, body portion, the second, body portion defining a void having an opening at an end of the second, body portion opposite the first, impact portion, a portion of the second, body portion having an gripping second having a plurality of convex structures and a plurality of concave structures, and a plunger moveable within the void, the plunger having a spring disposed adjacent thereto, the spring biasing the plunger toward the gripping surface. 
     
     
         13 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 12 , wherein the plunger is attached to an actuator which extends through an opening in the second, body portion, the actuator being attached to the plunger such that movement of the actuator can move the plunger between a first, closed position wherein the plunger is disposed adjacent the gripping surface and a second, open position wherein the plunger is spaced away from the gripping surface. 
     
     
         14 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator has a plurality of arms which extend through the second, body portion and an actuator handle disposed outside of the second, body portion and wherein pressing on the actuator handle to move the actuator handle toward the second, body portion moves the plunger from the first, closed position to the second, open position. 
     
     
         15 . The impalement hazard protective cap of  claim 14 , wherein releasing the handle allows the spring to move the plunger back into the first, closed position. 
     
     
         16 . A method for covering an impalement hazard, the method comprises selecting an impalement protective hazard cap having an first, impact surface portion and a second, body portion, squeezing an actuator disposed outside of the second, body portion to move a plunger disposed inside the second, body portion to move the plunger into a second, open position, inserting an end of the impalement hazard into a void in the second, body portion, and releasing the actuator so that a biasing element in the impalement hazard protective cap pushes the plunger into contact with the impalement hazard to thereby hold the impalement hazard protective cap on the impalement hazard. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the method selecting an impalement hazard protective cap comprises selecting an impalement hazard protective cap having a gripping surface with a plurality of convex portions and a plurality of concave portions and wherein the method comprises engaging one side of the implement hazard with the plunger and engaging an opposing side of the impalement hazard with at least one of the convex portions of the gripping surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the method comprises selecting an impalement hazard protective cap which has a secondary gripping surface which is disposed further away from the plunger than the gripping surface and wherein the method comprises securing an end of an impalement hazard between the plunder and the secondary gripping surface.