DEVICE FOR PREVENTING AN ORTHOPEDIC CANE, A CRUTCH OR ALIKE LEANING AGAINST A SUPPORT FROM SKIDDING

Abstract: A device for preventing an orthopedic cane (1), a crutch or alike leaning against a support from skidding. The cane (1) or crutch is provided with anti-skid studs (A, B) or an anti-skid band a so as to prevent the cane (1) or crutch from slipping off the supprt.

Description: Device for preventing an orthopedic cane, a crutch or alike leaning against a support from skidding. The invention relates to a device in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. It has always been a problem for disabled persons to put the cane they use to a practical place when they have to open doors or take keys off theirpockets, etc. Especially the armed-one have been bound to place the cane either under their arm or to lean it up against some support. The cane under the arm has easily skidded down to the floor or ground from where it has been troublesome to lift it up. In case the cane has been placed into an up- right position, e.g., against a wall in a staircase of a building, it is quite possible that it has been skidding down along the wall and then fallen into the an stairs and further downstairs. Besides being annoying, this can also cause unnecessary difficulties and even hazardous situations as the disabled person has to go and fetch the cane downstairs without the support given by the cane. From before are known devices for the support of crutches when these are not in use. In the device according to the US Patent 3,606,898 there is a support leg or legs affi¬ xed to the crutch and the crutch leans against these legs and can stand freely. According to the DE Published Specification 2,516,852 there are magnets attached to the crutches with the help of which they can be united toget- her and they are easier to be put to lean against a sup¬ port. In the handle of the crutch presented in the US Patent 2,516,852 there is a ridge with the help of which the crutch can lean, e.g., against a table. The objective of this invention is to bring about a si - plier and more practical device for preventing a crutch or cane from skidding. _______ The device according to the invention is primarily cha¬ racterized in that to the cane or crutch is attached an anti-skid stud or studs or an anti-skid band at conve¬ nient points to prevent the leaning cane or crutch from slipping off the support. Specific embodiments of the device according to the in¬ vention are characterized in that the anti-skid studs or band are made of a material the friction coefficient of which is high against ordinary surface materials of walls, furniture and alike. Thus, the surface of the anti-skid can be either even, rough, e.g., nodular or adhesive. In the following the invention will be described in de¬ tail with reference to the accompanying dravings, which merely comprise the essential upper part of the cane or crutch, in which: Fig. 1 shows the anti-skid devices with their points of attachement to a cane; Fig. 2 to an invalid cane; Fig. to a crutch and Fig. 4 to an underarm crutch. Furthermore, Figs. 5-8 show various types of studs and Figs. 9 and 10 examples of attachment possibilities for a stud such as in Fig. 7. In accordance with Fig. 1 the anti-skid stud 7, 8 or 9 is attached to the point A,D in the handle end of an ordi- nary cane. The attachement is carried out either by nai¬ ling or screwing the stud 7 to the end of the cane, by gluing the stud 8 directly to the end of the cane, by nailing or screwing the plastic plate 10 or the brass sleeve 11 or the like to the end of the cane 1 and gluing the stud 8 to the above mentioned base plate 10, 11 or by boring a hole of suitable size to the end of the cane and gluing the stud 9 into the hole. Gluing can also be used when securing nail and screw jointings. The other anti¬ skid stud 6 is attached preferably by gluing to the point B by the end of the cane 1, situating substantially in the middle of the curved portion of the cane 1 immediate¬ ly in the both sides thereof. The purpose of the stud 7, 8, or 9 is to prevent the cane from skidding when the cane is hung up on the edge of a table or some other slightly inclined plane. The purpose of the stud 6 is to prevent the cane 1 from slipping down along the wall or some substantially vertical plane when the cane has been leant up against the aforesaid plane. In accordance with Fig. 2, the anti-skid stud 7, 8 or 9 is attached to the points A, D at both ends of the handle of an invalid cane in one of the ways described above. The stud 6, on its part, is attached by gluing substanti¬ ally to the point B on both sides of the upper part of the cane 2. The functions of the studs are the same as above. In accordance with Fig. 3 the anti-skid band 13 is attached by gluing to the outer periphery of the support 5 of the crutch 3 over its whole length. In addition, the stud 7 or 8 is attached to the point A on the back side surface of the support 5, whereat the purpose of the stud 7 or 8 is to incline the crutch 3 in the way that also the anti-skid band 13 touches the bearing surface and in- creases the frictional force which keeps up the upright position. In accordance with Fig. 4 the stud 7, 8 or 9 is attached to the points A of the armpit support of the crutch 4, which are situated so much aside from the midline of the cruch that the stud 7, 8 or 9 on both sides of the sup¬ port do not cause any pressure against the crutch user. , The choice between the different types of studs as des¬ cribed in Figs. 1-4, where point A relates to the use of the studs 7, 8 or 9, the B to the use of the stud 6, and point C the use of the band 13, has been result of a con¬ sideration of the demands of the user, e.g., the handle of the orthopedic cane at the point B where the stud may not be too projecting; as well as of a consideration of the strenght requirements so that the boring required by stud 9 does not substantially weaken the structure. Fig. 5 shows the standard stud model 6 which will be glu¬ ed directly on the surface of the cane and it is only a few millimeters thick at its thickest point. This proves to be practical when the glued surface is curved or when the stud 6 has to be glued, e.g., on the point B in the adhesion surface of an orthopedic cane. Fig. 6 shows the standard model 7 cut off from a somewhat higher (approx. 5-20 mm) stud and it can be attached by nailing or screwing through the hole inside. In these ca¬ ses there has to be a suffiently deep detnt around the head of the nail or screw so that the head will not reach the bearing surface. in Fig. 7 there is another model 8 of a similar stud which is attached by gluing. The gluing is carried out either directly to the cane or by the help of a baffle plate which can be a plastic plate 10 (Fig. 9), a brass sleeve-shaped plate 11 (fig. 10) or a similar plate at- tached by a nail or a screw. Fig. 8 shows one more preferable stud form, i.e., a cy¬ lindrical or somewhat cone-shaped stud 9 which is at¬ tached by gluing to the hole bored in the cane or crutch (point D). Thus the letters in the figures correspond with the vari¬ ous stud types as follows: letter A with the studs 7 and 8, letter B with the stud 6, letter C with the band 13 and letter D with the stud 9. Furthermore it can be mentioned that, in order to increa¬ se the frictional forces, it is possoble to roughen sui¬ tably the surface of the anti-skid studs or band. E.g., a nodular surface can be used and even an adhesive surfa- ce may prove to be convenient in some cases. Nevertheless, it ought to be remembered that only a few examples of preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, wherefore the invention can compri- se also other variations, which have not been specified here, whitin the scope of protection of the accompanying claims. ' __e.v?τ

Claims: Claims : 1. A device for preventing an orthopedic cane (1), an invalid cane (2), an underarm crutch (4), a crutch (3) or alike leaning against a table or another support from skidding, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at conve¬ nient points (A, B, C, D) in the upper part of the cane (1) or crutch (2-4) there is attached at least one sτϊch anti-skid element, e.g., a stud (6-9) or a band 13, which has a considerable friction coefficient in relation to ordinary surface materials of walls, .furniture and alike. 2. A device as in Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z - e d in that the surface of the studs (6-9) or the band (13) is smooth. 3. A device as in Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z - e d in that the surface of the studs (6-9) or the band (13) is rough, e.g. nodular. 4. A device as in Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z - e d in that surface of the studs (6-9) or the band (13) is adhesive.

Inventors: JAERVISALO JARI KALEVI, JAERVISALO RAILI TELLERVO, JAERVISALO, JARI, KALEVI, JAERVISALO, RAILI, TELLERVO
Applicants: JAERVISALO JARI KALEVI, JAERVISALO RAILI TELLERVO, JAERVISALO, JARI, KALEVI, JAERVISALO, RAILI, TELLERVO
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A45B1
IPC codes: A45B1, A61H3