U.S. patent application number 10/146205 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-20 for stirrup cane.
Invention is credited to Hibbs, Bart D., Kiceniuk, Taras JR., MacCready, Paul B., Tokumaru, Phillip I., Zambrano, Thomas.
Application Number | 20030213510 10/146205 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29418765 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030213510 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MacCready, Paul B. ; et
al. |
November 20, 2003 |
Stirrup cane
Abstract
A cane and stirrup assembly comprising an upright cane having a
lower portion, a stirrup located at one side of the cane lower
portion, the stirrup including a first side having connection to
the cane lower portion, a second side opposite the first side, and
a lowermost support for the shoe or foot or sock of the user, and a
brace attached to the stirrup second side and also operatively
attached to the cane above a connection to transmit loading from
the stirrup second side to the cane.
Inventors: |
MacCready, Paul B.;
(Pasadena, CA) ; Hibbs, Bart D.; (Altadena,
CA) ; Kiceniuk, Taras JR.; (Santa Paula, CA) ;
Tokumaru, Phillip I.; (Monrovia, CA) ; Zambrano,
Thomas; (Long Beach, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
William W. Haefliger
Suite 512
201 So. Lake Ave.
Pasadena
CA
91101
US
|
Family ID: |
29418765 |
Appl. No.: |
10/146205 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61H 2003/007 20130101;
A61H 3/00 20130101; A61H 2003/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/65 |
International
Class: |
A45B 001/00; A45B
007/00; A45B 009/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A cane and stirrup assembly comprising: a) an upright cane
having a lower portion, b) a stirrup located at one side of the
cane lower portion, the stirrup including a first side having
connection to the cane lower portion, a second side opposite said
first side, and a lowermost support for the shoe or foot or sock of
the user, c) and a brace attached to the stirrup second side and
also operatively attached to the cane above said connection to
transmit loading from said stirrup second side to the cane.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said stirrup has a primary upper
part integral with said stirrup first side, and a secondary upper
part integral with said stirrup second side, said primary and
secondary upper parts having adjustable interconnection enabling
adjustable fitting of the stirrup to the user's shoe or foot.
3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said adjustable interconnection
includes adjustably interengagable hook and pile components.
4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said brace extends over said
adjustable interconnection.
5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said brace comprises a strap,
extending over the adjustable interconnection of two flexible
stirrup parts.
6. The assembly of claim 1 including a sleeve received on said
lower portion of the cane, said brace having upper extent directly
connected to the sleeve.
7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said strap has a length
adjustment component.
8. The assembly of claim 6 including a looping part extending at
the lower portion of the cane, below the strap, a fastener
attaching said looping part to the cane lower portion, said looping
part connected to said stirrup first side.
9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the cane has an upper portion,
there being a handle carrying sleeve that is supported on the cane
upper portion to swivel about the cane and between selected
positions.
10. The assembly of claim 1 including an auxiliary strap extending
rearwardly of the stirrup to engage the user's shoe that projects
from the stirrup, said auxiliary strap having one end operatively
connected to the lower portion of the cane, and an opposite end
operatively connected to the stirrup second side.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to devices to support a
user's foot or leg, as during stepping or walking, and more
particularly to improvements in canes that offer such auxiliary
support.
[0002] There is continual and great need for equipment and devices
to assist walking, on level surfaces, inclined surfaces, and up or
down stairs. This need is acute when the user's leg, legs, knee or
knees is or are weak or frail.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is a major object of the invention to provide improvement
in canes to meet the above need, and particularly in canes which
are associated with foot stirrups. Basically the invention concerns
a cane and stirrup assembly that comprises:
[0004] a) an upright cane having a lower portion,
[0005] b) a stirrup located at one side of the cane lower portion,
the stirrup including a first side having connection to the cane
lower portion, a second side opposite the first side, and a
lowermost support for the shoe or foot or sock of the user,
[0006] c) and a brace attached to the stirrup second side and also
operatively attached to the cane above a connection to transmit
loading from the stirrup second side to the cane.
[0007] It is another object to provide such an assembly wherein the
stirrup has a primary upper part integral with said stirrup first
side, and a secondary upper part integral with said stirrup second
side, said primary and secondary upper parts having adjustable
interconnection enabling adjustable fitting of the stirrup to the
user's shoe or foot. The adjustable interconnection preferably
includes interengagable hook and pile elements allowing adjustment
of the stirrup size about the user's foot or shoe, the stirrup
being flexible.
[0008] Yet another object includes providing the brace to extend
over the interengagable elements, whereby load transmission via the
stirrup can occur in an upright plane that includes the adjustment
stirrup and its connection to the cane. One such brace comprises a
strap conforming to the stirrup.
[0009] A yet further object is the provision of a sleeve on the
cane lower extent to interact with the stirrup. In this regard, a
looping part may extend about the lower portion of the cane, and
fasten to the cane, the stirrup having connection to that looping
part. An auxiliary strap may be provided to extend rearwardly of
the stirrup to engage the user's shoe that projects from the
stirrup, said auxiliary strap having one end operatively connected
to the lower portion of the cane, and an opposite end operatively
connected to the stirrup second side.
[0010] An additional object is the provision of a cane upper
portion and a handle carrying sleeve that is supported on the cane
upper portion to swivel about the cane and between selected
positions.
[0011] These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as
well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more
fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in
which:
DRAWING DESCRIPTION
[0012] FIG. 1 is an elevation showing use of the device of the
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation taken on ines 2-2 of FIG.
1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a frontal elevation taken on lines 3-3 of FIG.
2;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken on lines 4-4 of FIG.
3;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on lines 5-5 of FIG.
3;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a horizontal plan view taken in section on lines
6-6 of FIG. 3;
[0018] FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views showing use of the device in
different can rotated positions;
[0019] FIG. 9 shows a modification employing an auxiliary
strap.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] In FIGS. 1-8, a preferred cane and stirrup assembly includes
an upright cane 10 having a lower portion 10a. A stirrup 11 is
located at one side of the cane lower portion 10a, the stirrup
including a first side 11a with connection at 12 to the cane lower
portion. The stirrup also has a second side, as at 11b laterally
opposite the first side 11a, and a lowermost support 11c for the
shoe 13 or foot of the wearer. The sides 11a and 11b are preferably
flexible, to conform at least in part to the shoe of the wearer. It
may consist of leather or other durable sheet-like material. Open
forward and rearward ends of the stirrup appear at 11d and 11e. A
brace 13, such as a strap, is attached to the stirrup second side,
at 13a, and is also operatively attached to the cane at a location
13b above the level of connector 12, whereby the brace acts as a
tension force transmitting member, in use, when the cane is lifted,
to also lift the stirrup and the user's shoe in the stirrup. Force
is also transmitted between the stirrup and cane, via attachment at
12. That attachment may advantageously include a looping part 16
connected at 16a by the first side 11a of the stirrup, and also
fastened to the cane as by a transverse fastener 18.
[0021] The stirrup preferably includes a primary upper part 11f
integral with first side 11a, and a secondary upper part 11q
integral with the stirrup second side 11b. Parts 11f and 11g extend
freely, and their ends have adjustable interconnection at 20,
enabling tightening or loosening of the stirrup about the user's
shoe, or foot, or about a sock or other foot protector worn on the
foot, as in case of foot injury. Interconnection 20 may include
hook and pile components (VELCRO) on the parts 11f and 11g. The
latter are typically band-like. Brace 13 preferably extends over
the connection 20, whereby it tends to resist twisting of the
stirrup outer portion or second side 11b, out of forward alignment
as established by the forward upright plane 22 of the operative
connection of the stirrup to the cane, as may be established by
connection 16a and loop 16.
[0022] The assembly also includes a sleeve 24 received on the lower
portion of the cane, and it may carry the upper connection of the
brace, as shown by brace band 13c looping about and connected to
the upper extent of the sleeve which slidably fits on the cane
lower portion 10a. A brace length adjustment component, buckle
etc., is provided at 13d, between 13a and 13c.
[0023] The cane also has an upper portion 10c onto which an upper
sleeve 30 fits. A handle 31 is carried by the sleeve 30, and the
sleeve can be swiveled about cane upper portion to adjust the
angular position of the handle, relative to the stirrup, and
between selected positions. Note the bottom or pin 32 that fits in
registered openings 33 and 34 in the sleeve 31 and cane upper
portion 10c; and which can be pushed into opening 34 to allow
sleeve lengthwise adjustment, as well as rotary adjustment, and
button entry into another opening 33. Other selected openings
lengthwise of the sleeve appear at 33a and 33b, as at opposite
sides of the sleeve, to allow both lengthwise and rotary adjustment
of the handle, relative to the stirrup. See in this regard FIGS. 7
and 8, showing the handle and cane at one side of the right foot
shoe 42; and the handle and cane at the opposite side of the left
foot shoe 43.
[0024] Sleeves 24 and 30 allow installation of the stirrup and
handle adjustment on existing canes.
* * * * *