U.S. patent application number 12/081742 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-27 for cane with enhancing sleeve put on a joining portion of handle and shaft.
This patent application is currently assigned to Valentine International Ltd.. Invention is credited to Johnny J. T. Chiu.
Application Number | 20080289671 12/081742 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39295151 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080289671 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chiu; Johnny J. T. |
November 27, 2008 |
Cane with enhancing sleeve put on a joining portion of handle and
shaft
Abstract
A cane is disclosed that includes a handle having a lower
protrusion; a shaft having a top projection matingly secured to a
bottom recess of the protrusion; and a sleeve adapted to securely
put on the protrusion, an upper portion of the shaft, or a joining
portion of the protrusion and the upper portion of the shaft. The
invention can increase structural strength of the cane.
Inventors: |
Chiu; Johnny J. T.; (Hsichih
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRUCE H. TROXELL
5205 LEESBURG PIKE, SUITE 1404
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22041
US
|
Assignee: |
Valentine International
Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
39295151 |
Appl. No.: |
12/081742 |
Filed: |
April 21, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45B 9/00 20130101; A45B
9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
135/65 |
International
Class: |
A45B 9/00 20060101
A45B009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 24, 2007 |
TW |
096208463 |
Claims
1. A cane comprising: a handle including a grasping portion and a
lower protrusion; a shaft having a top matingly secured to a bottom
of the protrusion; and a sleeve adapted to securely put on the
protrusion, an upper portion of the shaft, or a joining portion of
the protrusion and the upper portion of the shaft.
2. The cane of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is adapted to securely
put on the upper portion of the shaft.
3. The cane of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is adapted to securely
put on the joining portion of the protrusion and the upper portion
of the shaft.
4. The cane of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is adapted to securely
put on the protrusion,
5. The cane of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the shaft has
a reduced diameter, and the sleeve is adapted to securely put on
the upper portion of the shaft.
6. The cane of claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the protrusion
has a reduced diameter, and the sleeve is adapted to securely put
on the lower portion of the protrusion.
7. The cane of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the shaft has
a reduced diameter, a lower portion of the protrusion has a reduced
diameter, and the sleeve is adapted to securely put on the upper
portion of the shaft and the lower portion of the protrusion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The invention relates to devices for aiding a user to walk,
and more particularly to a cane with enhanced structural strength
by providing a sleeve securely put on a joining portion of a bottom
of the handle and a mating top of the shaft.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Cane devices are particularly useful for, for example the
elderly or mountain climbing, as means for aiding in walking.
Typically, most weight of the user is borne upon the cane while
walking.
[0005] Conventionally, a cane comprises a horizontal handle and an
elongate shaft. It is typical for the handle and the shaft to be
manufactured separately prior to assembling together for the
purpose of simplifying the manufacturing process.
[0006] A longitudinal sectional view of a conventional cane is
shown in FIG. 1. The cane is shaped as a "T" and comprises a handle
A having a recess C on its bottom, and an elongate shaft B having a
projection D on its top. The projection D is dimensioned and shaped
to insert into the recess C prior to being secured together by, for
example, gluing.
[0007] However, the well known cane suffers from a disadvantage.
For example, its structural strength is weak in view of the fact
that the fastening at the joining point of the projection D and the
recess C is prone to breaking due to external force exertion.
[0008] There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents for
canes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,614 discloses a collapsible
cane. Thus, continuing improvements in the exploitation of cane are
constantly being sought.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a
cane with enhanced structural strength by providing a sleeve
securely put on a joining portion of a bottom of the handle and a
mating top of the shaft.
[0010] In one aspect of the invention the sleeve is adapted to
conceal the joining portion so as to prevent same from deforming or
damaging due to external force exertion, thereby protecting the
cane.
[0011] In another aspect of the invention the sleeve is made of
metal or plastic and is aesthetic.
[0012] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional
cane;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment
of cane according to the invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the joining portion of the
handle and the shaft of FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the joining
portion of FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled
joining portion of FIG. 4;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembled
joining portion of handle and shaft of a second preferred
embodiment of cane according to the invention; and
[0019] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembled
joining portion of handle and shaft of a third preferred embodiment
of cane according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, a cane in accordance with a first
preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The T-shaped cane
comprises a handle 10, a shaft 20, and a sleeve 30 securely put on
a joining portion of a bottom of the handle 10 and a mating top of
the shaft 20. Each component is discussed in detail below.
[0021] The handle 10 comprises a grasping portion 11 and a bottom
protrusion 12.
[0022] The handle 10 can be shaped other than shown. For example,
the handle 10 can be shaped as a hook or a cylinder depending on
applications.
[0023] The shaft 20 is elongate and has a sufficient length so as
to aid a user to walk. The shaft 20 can have a fixed length or can
be made as collapsible (i.e., telescopic).
[0024] The sleeve 30 is a hollow cylindrical member and is adapted
to put on a joining portion of the protrusion 12 and a mating top
of the shaft 20 as detailed later.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 specifically, a coupling of
the protrusion 12, the shaft 20, and the sleeve 30 is shown in
which, as an exemplary example, the protrusion 12 comprises a
bottom recess 121, the shaft 20 comprises an upper portion 202 of
reduced diameter and a projection 201 on a top of the upper portion
202, the sleeve 30 is dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly onto the
upper portion 202, and the projection 201 is dimensioned and shaped
to insert into the recess 121 prior to being secured together by,
for example, gluing.
[0026] Note that the upper portion 202 and thus the shaft 20 are
protected by tightly putting the sleeve 30 on the upper portion
202.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 6, a cane in accordance with a second
preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics
of the second preferred embodiment are detailed below. The sleeve
30 has an upper extension which is adapted to fit onto a lower
portion of the protrusion 12 of reduced diameter so that a joining
portion of the protrusion 12 and the upper portion 22 is protected.
The second preferred embodiment aims at further preventing the
joining portion of the protrusion 12 (i.e., the handle 10) and the
upper portion 22 (i.e., the shaft 20) from deforming or damaging
due to external force exertion.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 7, a cane in accordance with a third
preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics
of the third preferred embodiment are detailed below. The lower
portion of the protrusion 12 is provided without a reduced diameter
and the shaft 20 is provided without the upper portion of reduced
diameter. That is, the protrusion 12 has a diameter the same as
that of the shaft 20. Also, the sleeve 30 is adapted to fit onto a
lower portion of the protrusion 12 and an upper portion of the
shaft 20 for fastening.
[0029] In one configuration of the third preferred embodiment the
sleeve 30 is adapted to put on only the upper portion of the shaft
20. In the other configuration of the third preferred embodiment
the sleeve 30 is adapted to put on only the lower portion of the
protrusion 12.
[0030] Preferably, the sleeve 30 is made of metal or plastic and is
aesthetic.
[0031] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by
means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and
variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set
forth in the claims.
* * * * *