Abstract:
A forearm crutch cover that provides padding in the forearm cradle to increase the comfort of the user and covers the pivoting attachment junction that attaches the forearm cradle to the pole of the forearm crutch to help prevent injury or damage caused at the pivoting attachment junction when the forearm cradle is moved.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to padded cane or crutch coverings and cushions. More specifically, this invention relates to a padded cover or cushion for a forearm cane or crutch. A typical forearm cane or crutch consists of an adjustable length pole with a forearm cradle pivotally attached at or near the top of the pole. The cane or crutch is typically made of metal or some other sturdy material for support and durability. 
   During normal activities, the user can develop sores on the forearm due to pressure or pinching of the arm in the forearm cradle. In addition, the junction where the forearm cradle attaches to the crutch pole can often create discomfort and pain. For example, the user may pinch his arm between the forearm cradle and pole as the forearm cradle pivots through a range of positions. The attachment junction can also pinch or catch on materials near it and cause damage to clothing, coats, upholstery or other materials it contacts. Further, the attachment junction can scratch or mar walls, doors, trim, furniture, vehicles or the like. 
   What is needed, therefore, is a forearm cane or crutch covering or cushioning that makes the crutch more comfortable for the user while at the same time it helps protect the user and his surroundings from injury or damage related to relative movement between the forearm cradle and the pole on which it is mounted. 
   It is an object of this invention to make the forearm cradle of a forearm cane or crutch more comfortable and to minimize or eliminate pinching, scratching or other damage caused by the pivotable connection of the forearm cradle to the pole. 
   It is feature of this invention that the forearm cane or crutch cover will fit the forearm cane or crutch when it is adjusted to fit the height and arm length of a user. 
   It is another feature of the invention to make it more comfortable and to make it easier to control the operation of a cane or crutch. 
   It is yet another feature of the invention to make it possible to apply the teachings of the present invention to known canes or crutches to increase their comfort and to make them better able to be used. 
   Another feature of the invention is to make better use of commercially available canes and crutches. 
   Still other objects, advantages, distinctions and alternative constructions and/or combinations of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with respect to the appended drawings. Similar components and assemblies are referred to in the various drawings with similar alphanumeric reference characters. This description should not be literally construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, the invention should be interpreted within the broad scope of the further appended claims. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a forearm cane cover or cushion or a forearm crutch cover or cushion that makes the forearm cradle more comfortable for the user and helps prevent injury or damage caused by contact with the sharp edges of the pivoting attachment junction and by the resultant gap created and closed between the forearm cradle and pole when the forearm cradle pivots around the pole of the cane or crutch. 
   The cover may include an at least partially padded covering for the forearm cradle with pieces that may extend from the forearm cradle and may cover at least some portion of the pivoting attachment junction that connects the forearm cradle to the pole. Preferably the cover may provide padding on the inside of the forearm cradle to make the forearm cradle more comfortable to the user. Then extensions from the forearm cradle area may cover the pivoting attachment junction that connects the forearm cradle to the pole. These extensions may essentially enclose the pivoting attachment junction and the gap between the forearm cradle and pole created and closed as the forearm cradle pivots from a backward position to a forward position. 
   An optional feature of the present device is the use of an expandable portion in the extensions or pieces that cover at least some portion of the pivoting attachment junction. Thus when the forearm cradle pivots through its range of positions, the expansion of the expandable portion may reduce gaping or bunching in the pieces that cover at least some portion of the pivoting attachment. In addition, the expandable portion may allow a forearm crutch cover to fit a forearm crutch when adjusted to various users&#39; heights and arm lengths. 
   Another optional feature includes an opening on the front extension of the cover that encompasses the handgrip. This opening may help secure the cover&#39;s attachment to the cane or crutch. Alternatively, the crutch cover may include a portion that covers the handgrip of the cane or the crutch. This opening may help secure the cover&#39;s attachment to the cane or crutch as well as increase the comfort of the handgrip. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the forearm crutch cover as used on a forearm crutch, and a cut away perspective view of the pivoting connection junction that connects the forearm cradle to the pole of the forearm crutch; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  2 — 2 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the forearm crutch cover as seen from the front; 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the forearm crutch cover as seen from the rear; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown on a forearm crutch with the forearm cradle rotated forward, or in a weight bearing position typically associated with walking; and 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown on a forearm crutch with the forearm cradle rotated backward, or in a hands free position typically associated with resting. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The apparatus described herein covers the top portion of a forearm cane or crutch to provide a padded forearm cradle and at least a partial enclosure for the pivoting connection junction that attaches the forearm cradle to the pole. 
     FIG. 1  depicts a preferred embodiment of a cover  10  for a forearm cane or forearm crutch as shown on a forearm crutch having a forearm cradle  14 , a pole  18  and a handgrip  20 . The pivoting attachment  16  of the forearm cradle  14  to the pole  18  is shown in the encircled portion of  FIG. 1  without the cover  10 . This pivoting connection  16 , shown as a yoke and bolt attachment in this embodiment, could be a collar and pin joint, a hinge, a swivel, a ball and socket assembly, or the like, depending upon the particular design and construction of the forearm cane or crutch. The pivoting connection  16  allows the forearm cradle  14  to rotate about an axis A through a range of positions. When utilized, the cover  10  may fit over the forearm cradle  14 , extend down the pole  18  and may cover at least a portion of the yoke and bolt attachment  16  that pivotally attaches the forearm cradle  14  to the pole  18 . The front  22  of the cover  10  may be situated inside the forearm cradle  14  and may extend down the pole  18  towards the sidewardly extending handgrip  20 . The back  24  of the cover  10  may be situated around the back or outside of the forearm cradle  14  and may extend down the pole  18  and may cover at least a portion of the yoke and bolt attachment  16  that attaches the forearm cradle  14  to the pole  18 . 
   The forearm cane or crutch cover  10  may be described in four portions—the inner or front forearm cradle portion  26 , the outer or back forearm cradle portion  28 , the front pole portion  30  and the back pole portion  36  as seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 .  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the cover  10  shown in  FIG. 1  taken along the line  2 — 2 . The front forearm cradle portion  26  and the back forearm cradle portion  28  are shown on either side of the forearm cradle  14 . 
   The front and back forearm cradle position  26 ,  28  may form a flexible covering sized to fit over the U-shaped C-shaped forearm cradle  14 . The flexible covering may be constructed in a number of ways that include, but are not limited to, sewing, hook and loop closures, mechanical fasteners, adhesives, or the like. The front and back pole portions  30 ,  36  may extend from the front and back forearm cradle portions  26 ,  28 . An alternate construction of the cover may include a cushioning material  26   a  applied directly to the inner or front forearm cradle portion and one or more pole portions may extend from the inner or front forearm cradle portion. 
     FIG. 3  shows a plan view of the front  22  of the forearm crutch cover  10 . The inner or front cradle portion  26  is usually the portion in contact with the user&#39;s arm. The padding on the front cradle portion  26  may cushion the user&#39;s arm, and it may be made from natural materials or man-made materials, such as soft plastic or rubber, leather, fur or fur-like materials, or the like. The front pole portion  30  may extend from the front forearm cradle portion  26 , and it may cover at least some portion of the yoke and bolt attachment  16  that connects the forearm cradle  14  to the pole  18 . 
     FIG. 4  depicts the back  24  of the forearm crutch cover  10 . The back forearm cradle portion  28  may cover the back or the outside of the forearm cradle  14 . The back cradle portion  28  may be made of natural materials or man-made materials. The back pole portion  36  may extend from the back forearm cradle portion  28 , and it may cover at least some portion of the yoke and bolt attachment  16  that connects the forearm cradle  14  to the pole  18 . In addition, the back pole portion  36  may have cooperatively engaging elements  32 ,  38  to help the forearm crutch cover  10  remain on the forearm crutch  12 . The cooperatively engaging elements  32 ,  38  may be, but are not limited to, hook and loop closure as shown in  FIG. 4 , or any number of methods, such as mechanical fasteners, buckles, slide fasteners, adhesives or the like. 
   The front pole portion  30  shown in  FIG. 3  may include an opening  34  sized to encircle the base of the handgrip  20  that may serve as an additional method to secure the forearm crutch cover  10  to the forearm crutch  12 . Alternatively the front pole portion  30  may include a portion that may encase at least some portion of the handgrip  20  that may serve as an additional method to secure the forearm crutch cover  10  to the forearm crutch  12 . This covering may provide a better grip for the user and it may be padded to increase the user&#39;s comfort. 
   The front and back pole portions  30 ,  36  may have an expandable portion  40 ,  42  at or near their connection to the front and rear cradle portions  26 ,  28  to provide for the increase in length that may be required in the front and back pole portions  30 ,  36  as the forearm cradle  14  is rotated about axis A through its range of positions.  FIGS. 5 and 6  show the increase in length that may be required of the expandable portions  40 ,  42  when the forearm cradle  14  is rotated from a forward position as shown in  FIG. 5 , around axis A, to a more backward position as shown in  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 5 , when the forearm cradle is in its generally forward or weight bearing position associated with using the forearm crutch to walk, the expandable portion  40  is shown to have length L, and the expandable portion  42  is shown to have length M. In  FIG. 6 , when the forearm cradle is in its generally backward or hands free position associated with using the forearm crust at rest, the expandable portion  40  is shown to have length X+L, and the expandable portion  42  is shown to have length Y+M to accommodate the increased length that may be required in the front and back pole portions  30 ,  36 . In addition, because the typical forearm crutch is adjustable for users of various heights and arm lengths, the expandable portions  40 ,  42  may allow the same forearm crutch cover  10  to fit a forearm crutch at a variety of adjusted sizes. 
   The forearm crutch cover  10  may be made entirely of soft, flexible natural or man-made material. The use of an expandable portion  40 ,  42 , however, allows for more freedom in selecting the material that may be used for the cover  10 . With the exception of the padding for the front cradle portion  26 , the forearm crutch cover  10  may be made of a harder, more durable material such as plastic, vinyl, metal or the like, or a combination of hard and soft materials, provided an expandable portion is used at some location along the forearm crutch cover  10  to allow for movement of the forearm cradle  14 . 
   Another alternative for this invention includes a forearm crutch or cane having a forearm cradle constructed with a padded material attached to the inside of the forearm cradle. The invention could further include one or more pole portions covering at least part of the pivoting attachment junction of the forearm cradle and the pole. 
   This description does not intend to limit the performance of these processes and functions to only the methods described herein. Many processes can be performed in a different, but equivalent manner or order than described herein without exceeding the scope of this invention. 
   Although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications, persons skilled in the art can, in light of this teaching, generate additional embodiments without exceeding the scope or departing from the spirit of the claimed invention. In addition, specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others for convenience only, as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and description in this disclosure are proffered to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.