Abstract:
A cane holder includes a base plate and a gripping element that attaches the holder to an element of a wheelchair. A cane supporting plate is hingeably attached to the base plate and includes a bore, which slidably receives a cane. The cane holder aids in the usage of proper safety precautions. Because of its location, it provides a person with a convenient storage area to put a cane without causing the loss of stability.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of wheelchairs, and to the particular field of accessories for wheelchairs. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Most people who have a disability that affects their ambulation are insecure with their own stability. They feel uneasy when having to bend or lean over. This makes entering and/or exiting a wheelchair difficult and often requires the assistance of another person. Since it is not a given that anyone can assist a person entering or exiting a wheelchair, the person must often wait for a skilled health care provider to perform this function. This places such people at a disadvantage. 
     Therefore, there is a need for an accessory that will enable a person to enter or exit a wheelchair safely without requiring a great deal of assistance from others. 
     Many people ambulate with a cane after entering and exiting a wheelchair. Storing the cane on the wheelchair may be difficult, and locating that cane where it can be easily and conveniently reached when needed also presents many problems. For example: some people rest the cane on their lap; a practice that often results in the cane sliding off the lap and onto the floor. Some people store the cane upon entering the wheelchair by hooking it over the rear of the wheelchair, or by placing the cane between the wheels of the wheelchair. This practice often results in the loss of stability due to bending or leaning. Upon leaving the wheelchair, trying to retrieve a walking cane from the back of the chair or from between the wheels of the chair can involve some awkward twisting and may cause the chair&#39;s user to accidentally fall onto the floor. 
     Therefore, there is a need for an accessory for a wheelchair that stores a cane in an accessible and convenient location on the wheelchair. 
     PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a main object of the present invention to provide an accessory for a wheelchair that will store a cane on the wheelchair. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an accessory for a wheelchair that will store a cane on the wheelchair in a convenient and easily accessible location. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an accessory for a wheelchair that will store a cane on the wheelchair. The accessory can be stored out of the way when not in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These, and other, objects are achieved by a holder for a cane that is attached to an element of a wheelchair, such as the arm of the wheelchair. The holder has three main parts: a base plate, a gripping element for releasably attaching the holder to the wheelchair and a cane holding plate. The holder can be located and positioned to orient a cane so a person can hold onto the arm of the wheelchair as they enter or exit the wheelchair and the cane will be stable. The cane can then be withdrawn from the holder and used in the manner of a cane. The holder can be folded up to be located out of the way when not in use. 
     The holder embodying the present invention will eliminate excessive bending and leaning of a wheelchair user by providing a specific holding place on the wheelchair to hold a walking cane. The placement of the holder is at a comfortable reach and will require very little bending depending on the height of the person or the height of the chair. Therefore, persons no longer have to risk falling while trying to reach behind the chair to hang his or her cane, or have to bend over to rest the cane on the wheel of the wheelchair. The holder aides in the safety of the Sit-To-Stand protocol given persons with physical disabilities that affects ambulating. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the holder embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     As shown in the figures, the invention is embodied in a holder  10  for a cane C. The holder  10  provides safe and easy access to a specialized holding place for a cane. The holder  10  can be used to carry a walking cane when a wheelchair is in motion and the cane will not interfere with operation of the wheelchair. However, the cane will be positioned for easy access to assist a user in entering or exiting the wheelchair or for use in walking. Holder  10  is attached to a wheelchair element  12 , such as the arm of a wheelchair or another convenient element of the wheelchair. The element  12  is only partially shown in FIG. 1 to indicate that any suitable element of the wheelchair can be used. 
     Holder  10  comprises a body unit  14  which is releasably attached to the wheelchair element  12  when in an operative condition. Body unit  14  includes a base plate  16  having a first side  18 , a second side  20 , and a width dimension  22  which extends between the first side  18  and the second side  20 . Base plate  16  further includes a first end  24 , a second end  26  and a length dimension  28  which extends between the first end  24  and the second end  26 . Base plate  14  further includes a first face  30 , a second face  32  and a thickness dimension  34  extending between the first face  30  and the second face  32 . 
     A gripping element  40  is fixed to the first side  18  of the base plate  16 . The gripping element  40  includes a U-shaped body  42  having an inner diameter  44  and is releasably mounted on the wheelchair element  12  when in an operative condition. The gripping element  40  further includes a first end  46  on the U-shaped body  42  and a second end  48  on the U-shaped body  42 . The second end  48  of the U-shaped body  42  is spaced apart from the first end  46  of the U-shaped body  42 . The ends  46 ,  48  of the U-shaped body  42  and the U-shaped body  42  itself are arranged so the body  42  will flex to permit the gripping element  40  to fit around the wheelchair element  12  and then will be held in position by the resilience of the body  42 . Attachment of the gripping element  40  to the wheelchair element  12  is indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow A. 
     A hinge unit  50  is fixed to the second side  20  of the base plate  16 . The hinge unit  50  includes a first element  52  fixed to the second side  20  of the base plate  16  and a second element  54  rotatably attached to the first element  52  of the hinge unit  50 . The hinge unit  50  rotates as indicated by arrow R in FIG.  2 . 
     A cane supporting plate  60  releasably engages cane C to hold the cane in the desired position on the wheelchair. Cane supporting plate  60  includes a first side  62  which is located adjacent to second side  20  of the base plate  16  when in the open condition shown in FIG. 1, a second side  64  and a width dimension  66  extending between the first side  62  of the cane supporting plate  60  and the second side  64  of the cane supporting plate  60 . The cane supporting plate  60  further includes a first end  68 , a second end  70  and a length dimension  72  extending between the first end  68  of the cane supporting plate  60  and the second end  70  of the cane supporting plate  60 . Cane supporting plate  60  further includes a first face  74 , a second face  76  and a thickness dimension  78  extending between the first face  74  of the cane supporting plate  60  and the second face  76  of the cane supporting plate  60 . 
     A bore  80  is defined through the cane supporting plate  60  from the first face  74  of the cane supporting plate  60  to the second face  76  of the cane supporting plate  60 . Bore  80  is sized to snugly receive cane C and hold that cane when the cane is moved into the bore  80  as indicated by arrow CA in FIG.  2 . 
     The length dimension  28  of the base plate  16  is equal to the length dimension  72  of the cane supporting plate  60  and the width dimension  22  of the base plate  16  is equal to the width dimension  66  of the cane supporting plate  60  and the thickness dimension  34  of the base plate  16  is equal to the thickness dimension  78  of the cane supporting plate  60 . The first end  24  of the base plate  16  is co-planar with the first end  68  of the cane supporting plate  60 , the second end  26  of the base plate  16  is co-planar with the second end  70  of the cane supporting plate  60 . The first side  18  of the base plate  16  is parallel with the first side  62  of the cane supporting plate  60  and the second side  20  of the base plate  16  is parallel with the second side  64  of the cane supporting plate  60 . 
     The second element  54  of the hinge unit  50  is fixed to the first side  62  of the cane supporting plate  60  so that the cane supporting plate  60  and the base plate  16  can move relative to each other. 
     The cane supporting plate  60  is movable with respect to the base plate  16  between a first position shown in FIG. 1 in which the first face  30  of the base plate  16  and the first face  74  of the cane supporting plate  60  are spaced apart from each other and are co-planar with each other and a second position in which the first face  74  of the cane supporting plate  60  is in abutting contact with the first face  30  of the base plate  16  and the first sides  19 ,  62  of the base plate  16  and the cane supporting plate  60  are congruent with each other and the second sides  20 ,  64  of the base plate  16  and the cane supporting plate  60  are congruent with each other and the first ends  24 ,  68  of the base plate  16  and the cane supporting plate  60  are congruent with each other and the second ends  26 ,  70  of the base plate  16  and the cane supporting plate  60  are congruent with each other. 
     Persons who ambulate with a cane and who also use a wheelchair for mobilization would adjust the cane supporting plate  60  into a horizontal position before getting out of the wheelchair. The horizontal position is needed for accessibility of the cane holder portion of the holder  10 . A person in the seated position places the cane into the cane holder  10  before standing. This gives the person the opportunity to use both hands to push up from the chair versus using only one hand to stand. When in a standing position, the person will then take the cane out of the cane holder  10  and proceed to ambulate. When it is time to ambulate back to the wheelchair, he or she would walk close to the wheelchair, place the cane into the cane holder  10  and then hold onto the chair, turn around and sit down. The holder of the present invention thus presents elements that allow precautions which are necessary for the stability and safety of persons who lack stability of the upper and lower extremities. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.