Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a rotating type stick capable of firmly maintaining a locking state of a locking unit even when a rotational force is applied to tube members constituting a stick. Provided is a stick including: a first tube member and a second tube member connected to each other in the length direction; and a connection member connected to one end portion of the second tube member, wherein the first tube member is selectively locked to or unlocked from the connection member, the second tube member is rotatably connected to the connection member, and the second tube member is rotatable relative to the first tube member while the first tube member and the connection member are maintained in a locking state.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0045169, filed on May 13, 2011, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. §119, the contents of which in its entirety are herein incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a rotating type stick, and more particularly, to a rotating type stick in which tube members constituting a stick are rotatable relative to each other and are movable in a manner similar to the movement of an antenna. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A stick has been used to assist the walk of climbers or old and weak persons. Since the weight may distributed through the stick pressed against the ground, the climbers or the old and weak persons may walk more comfortably compared to the case where the stick is not used. 
         [0006]    In order for the user to simply carry or accommodate the stick, an antenna type stick which may be shortened in a manner similar to the movement of the antenna is used. 
         [0007]    The antenna type stick is generally configured by connecting an upper tube member to a lower tube member, having a diameter smaller than that of the upper tube member, in the length direction. 
         [0008]    When a user desires to shorten such an antenna type stick, the lower tube member may be pressed into the upper tube member. In contrast, when the user desires to lengthen the stick, the lower tube member existing in the upper tube member may be taken out. When the upper tube member and the lower tube member are locked and fixed to each other while the stick is lengthened, the stick is maintained at a length in which the user may comfortably use the stick. 
         [0009]    As for the antenna type stick according to the related art, it is general that the upper tube member and the lower tube member are locked and fixed to each other so as to maintain the length of the stick while the stick is lengthened. 
         [0010]    However, according to the locking unit of the related art, if a rotational force is applied to the upper tube member and/or the lower tube member when the stick is in use, the locking unit may be released or damaged due to the force. When the locking unit is unexpectedly released or damaged, the user may be wounded. 
         [0011]    When an additional structure for preventing the damage of the locking unit is formed inside the tube member so as to prevent these problems, the diameter of the lower tube member relatively decreases with respect to the diameter of the upper tube member, which may eventually cause a result in which the rigidity of the entire stick is degraded. Furthermore, there is a problem that the entire stick becomes heavy. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0012]    The present disclosure is directed to providing a rotating type stick capable of firmly maintaining a locking state of a locking unit even when a rotational force is applied to tube members constituting a stick 
         [0013]    In one aspect, there is provided a stick including: a first tube member and a second tube member connected to each other in the length direction; and a connection member connected to one end portion of the second tube member, wherein the first tube member is selectively locked to or unlocked from the connection member, the second tube member is rotatably connected to the connection member, and the second tube member is rotatable relative to the first tube member while the first tube member and the connection member are maintained in a locking state. 
         [0014]    The connection member may include a button, the first tube member may be provided with a button hole to which the button is fastened, and the first tube member may be selectively locked to or unlocked from the connection member as the button is fastened to or separated from the button hole. 
         [0015]    The connection member may include a body portion provided with the button and a connection portion extending from the body portion, a sleeve accommodating the connection portion may be fixed and connected to one end portion of the second tube member, and the sleeve may be rotatable about the connection portion. 
         [0016]    The sleeve may be slidable with respect to the connection portion, and a spring may be provided between the sleeve and the connection portion. 
         [0017]    The first tube member and the second tube member may have a cylindrical shape, and the connection member and the second tube member may be slidable inside the first tube member. 
         [0018]    The inside of the first tube member may be provided with a rotation preventing groove formed along the length direction of the first tube member, a body of the connection member may be provided with a rotation preventing protrusion configured to be fastened to the rotation preventing groove, and the connection member may be prevented from rotating inside the first tube member. 
         [0019]    The button hole may penetrate the outer surface of the first tube member, and when the button is fastened to the button hole, the end portion of the button may be exposed to the outside of the first tube member. 
         [0020]    The end portion of the button may be inclined so that its slope surface faces the opposite side to the installation direction of the second tube member. 
         [0021]    According to the disclosure, since it is possible to prevent the locking state of the locking unit from being released or damaged even when an impact is applied to the stick, the reliability and the durability of the stick may be improved. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the disclosed exemplary embodiments will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0023]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a stick according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates a part of a first tube member, a second tube member, and a connection member of the stick according to the embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional perspective view in which the first tube member, the second tube member, and the connection member of  FIG. 3  are cut away in the length direction; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the second tube member and the connection member of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where the first tube member and the second tube member of  FIG. 3  are connected to each other; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  illustrates a part of a first tube member, a second tube member, and a connection member of a stick according to another embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional perspective view in which the first tube member, the second tube member, and the connection member of  FIG. 7  are cut away in the length direction; and 
           [0030]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are cross-sectional views illustrating a state where the first tube member and the second tube member of  FIG. 7  are connected to each other. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Exemplary embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth therein. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a stick  1  according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the stick  1  according to the embodiment is configured by connecting an upper tube member  2 , a first tube member  10 , and a second tube member  20  to each other. 
         [0034]    In the specification, the “upper side” means the direction in which the handle of the stick  1  is positioned, and the “lower side” means the opposite direction of the “upper side” in the length direction. Furthermore, the terms of the “upper end” means the end portion in the upward direction, and the term of the “lower end” means the end portion opposite to the “upper end”. 
         [0035]    A handle member  3  which may be gripped by a user is connected to the upper end of the upper tube member  2 . The first tube member  10  is inserted from the lower end of the upper tube member  2  into the upper tube member  2  and is connected to the upper tube member  2 . The lower end of the upper tube member  2  is provided with a fixing unit  5 . 
         [0036]    The second tube member  20  is inserted from the lower end of the first tube member  10  into the first tube member  10  and is connected to the first tube member  10 . The lower end of the second tube member  20  is provided with a support member  4  which allows a user to be easily supported on the ground through the stick  1 . 
         [0037]    The tube members  2 ,  10 , and  20  of the stick  1  according to the embodiment are cylindrical tube members, and the diameter of the lower tube member is smaller than the diameter of the upper tube member. Accordingly, the first tube member  10  is slidable into the upper tube member  2 , and the second tube member  20  is slidable into the first tube member  10 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  illustrates a state where the first tube member  10  is completely inserted into the upper tube member  2  and the second tube member  20  is completely inserted into the first tube member  10 . 
         [0039]    According to such a configuration, the user may carry or accommodate the stick  1  in a state where the stick  1  is completely shortened as shown in  FIG. 2 . In a case where the user desires to use the stick  1 , the first tube member  10  is taken out downward from the upper tube member  2 , and the second tube member  20  is taken out downward from the first tube member  10 , so that the stick  1  may be lengthened as shown in  FIG. 1 . The user may fix the first tube member  10  and the upper tube member  2  by using the fixing unit  5  after taking the first tube member  10  out from the upper tube member  2  by a desired extent. The fixing unit  5  of the stick according to the embodiment may be configured as a unit having any configuration in which the upper tube member  2  may be fixed to the first tube member  10  inserted and connected to the upper tube member  2 . For example, the upper tube member  2  and the first tube member  10  may have a screw locking type connection structure in which the first tube member  10  and the upper tube member  2  are screw-connected to each other and the screw is loosened or tightened by relatively rotating the first tube member  10  with respect to the upper tube member  2  so as to adjust the length of the stick. Since the specific configuration of the fixing unit  5  departs from the technical spirit of the disclosure, the specific description thereof will be omitted herein. 
         [0040]    The first tube member  10  and the second tube member  20  are connected to the connection member  30  (see  FIG. 3 ).  FIG. 3  illustrates a state where the first tube member  10  and the second tube member  20  according to the embodiment are separated from each other, and  FIG. 4  illustrates a state where the half sides of the first tube member  10  and the second tube member  20  of  FIG. 3  are cut away in the length direction. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the connection member  30  is connected to the upper end of the second tube member  20 . The second tube member  20  may be rotatably connected to the connection member  30 , and the first tube member  10  may be selectively locked to or unlocked from the connection member  30 . Such a configuration will be described in more detail later. 
         [0042]    The connection member  30  includes a substantially cylindrical body portion  320  and a connection portion  321  which extends downward from the body portion  320  and is inserted into the second tube member  20 . The connection portion  321  includes an aluminic insert  323  and a protrusion portion  322  which surrounds a part of the insert  323  and is integrated with the body portion  320 . 
         [0043]    In order to manufacture the connection member  30  having the above-described configuration, first, a melted liquid which is obtained by melting a synthetic resin is poured into a mold and is cured in a state where the aluminic insert  323  is positioned inside the mold having a shape corresponding to the body portion  320  and the protrusion portion  322 , thereby molding the body portion  320  and the protrusion portion  322 . 
         [0044]    The body portion  320  of the connection member  30  which is exposed to the outside of the second tube member  20  is surrounded by a housing  324 , so that it is protected from the external environment. The upper outer diameter portion of the body portion  320  is provided with plural rotation preventing protrusions  303  which are formed in a radial shape along the radial direction of the body portion  320 . 
         [0045]    The upper end portion of the body portion  320  is provided with a first guide member  302  which allows the connection member  30  to be easily inserted into the first tube member  10 . 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first guide member  302  includes plural cut pieces, and the upper circumference of each cut piece is provided with a rotation preventing protrusion  304 . 
         [0047]    A screw connection hole  325  is formed at the center of the upper end portion of the body portion  320 , and the first guide member  302  is connected to the upper end portion of the body portion  320  in a manner such that the screw member  350  is fastened to the screw connection hole  325 . 
         [0048]    The body portion  320  of the connection member  30  is provided with two buttons  301  which are formed in the vertical direction of the body portion  320 . The button  301  is partially inserted into the body portion  320  through a passage hole formed in the body portion  320 , and the end portion of the button  301  is exposed to the outside of the body portion  320 . 
         [0049]    A spring  311  is provided inside the button  301 . When the user presses the button  301 , the button  301  is pressed inward in the body portion  320 . Then, when the user removes the pressing force, the button returns to the original position due to the elastic restoring force of the spring  311 . 
         [0050]    The connection member  30  having the above-described configuration is rotatable relative to the second tube member  20 . Hereinafter, this will be described in more detail by referring to  FIG. 5 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the second tube member  20  and the connection member  30  connected to each other. 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a sleeve  200  is forcedly fitted to the upper end portion of the second tube member  20 . 
         [0053]    The connection portion  321  of the connection member  30  is inserted into the sleeve  200 . In a state where the connection portion  321  is inserted into the sleeve  200 , an annular washer  352  comes into close contact with the lower end portion of the sleeve  200 , and a screw member  351  is threaded into a screw connection hole  326  formed in the lower end portion of the insert  323 , thereby fixing the connection member  30  to the sleeve  200 . 
         [0054]    At this time, the outer diameter of the connection portion  321  and the inner diameter of the sleeve  200  are formed so that a predetermined gap is formed therebetween, and the lower end surface of the sleeve  200  is formed so as to be away from the washer  352  by a predetermined gap. That is, a small gap which is indicated by the bold line of  FIG. 5  is formed between the connection portion  321  of the connection member  30  and the sleeve  200 . Accordingly, the sleeve  200  is configured to be rotatable about the connection portion  321  of the connection member  30 . 
         [0055]    According to such a configuration, the sleeve  200  is rotatable relative to the connection portion  321  of the connection member  30 , that is, the connection member  30 , and the entire second tube member  20  which is forcedly fitted to the sleeve  200  is rotatable relative to the connection member  30 . 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4  again, the structure of the first tube member  10  will be described. 
         [0057]    The body of the first tube member  10  is provided with a button hole  101  to which the button  301  formed in the connection member  30  is fastened. The lower end portion of the first tube member  10  is provided with a second guide member  102  which allows the first guide member  302  provided in the connection member  30  to be easily accommodated. 
         [0058]    Plural protrusions  103  are formed in a radial shape along the length direction of the first tube member  10  inside the body of the first tube member  10  and inside the second guide member  102 , and plural rotation preventing grooves  104  are formed along the length direction of the first tube member  10  between two protrusions  103 . 
         [0059]    The positions of the respective rotation preventing grooves  104  correspond to the rotation preventing protrusions  303  and  304  formed in the connection member  30 . In a case where the connection member  30  is inserted into the first tube member  10 , each of the rotation preventing protrusions  303  and  304  is fastened to each of the rotation preventing grooves  104 . According to such a configuration, the connection member  30  is prevented from rotating inside the first tube member  10 . That is, the connection member  30  just straightly slides inside the first tube member  10  without any rotation. 
         [0060]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where the first tube member  10  and the second tube member  20  are fastened to each other through the connection member  30 . 
         [0061]    In order for the user to use the stick  1  (see  FIG. 2 ) in a shortened state, first, the second tube member  20  accommodated inside the first tube member  10  is taken out in the downward direction of the first tube member  10 . At this time, the connection member  30  just straightly slides inside the first tube member  10  without any rotation by the help of the rotation preventing protrusions  303  and  304  and the rotation preventing groove  104 . 
         [0062]    When the button  301  moves to the position of the button hole  101  while the second tube member  20  is taken out from the first tube member  10 , the button  301  is fastened to the button hole  101  while exiting to the outside of the first tube member  10  through the button hole  101  (the button comes out by itself due to the elastic force of the spring  311  provided in the button  301 ). Since the button  301  is fastened to the button hole  101 , the connection member  30  is locked with respect to the first tube member  10 . 
         [0063]    When the connection member  30  is locked with respect to the first tube member  10 , the second tube member  20  and the first tube member  10  which are connected to the connection member  30  are fixed to each other, so that the entire length of the stick  1  is fixed to a length which is convenient for the user to use. 
         [0064]    In contrast, in a case where the user desires to shorten the stick  1  again, the end portion of the button  301  which is exposed to the outside through the outer surface of the first tube member  10  is pressed so that the button  301  and the button hole  101  are separated from each other, and hence the connection member  30  is unlocked with respect to the first tube member  10 . 
         [0065]    When the second tube member  20  is pressed upward while the button  301  is pressed so that the connection member  30  is unlocked from the first tube member  10 , the length of the stick  1  is shortened while the second tube member  20  and the connection member  30  slides inside the first tube member  10  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0066]    According to the embodiment, the end portion of the button  301  is inclined so that a slope surface  353  faces the opposite side to the installation position of the second tube member  20 , that is, the upper side of the stick  1 , which easily separates the button  301  from the button hole  101  when the second tube member  20  is pressed into the first tube member  10  and prevents the second tube member  20  from completely coming out from the first tube member  10  after the button  301  passes by the button hole  101  when the second tube member  20  is taken out from the first tube member  10 . 
         [0067]    To sum up this, the connection member  30  is selectively locked to or unlocked from the first tube member  10  as the button  301  is fastened to or separated from the button hole  101 , and hence the second tube member  20  is selectively locked to or unlocked from the first tube member  10 . 
         [0068]    In a state where the stick  1  according to the embodiment is shortened, a rotational force may be applied to the second tube member  20  due to the user or other external environmental factors. If the second tube member  20  is rigidly connected to the connection member  30 , when a rotational force is applied to the second tube member  20 , the connection member  30  rotates along with the second tube member  20 , so that the button  301  formed in the connection member  30  may be deviated from the button hole  101 . 
         [0069]    As one of methods of preventing such a phenomenon, there is a known method of increasing the depth of the rotation preventing groove  104  formed inside the first tube member  10  and increasing the heights of the rotation preventing protrusions  303  and  304  formed in the connection member  30  so as to correspond to an increase in the depth. However, since a difference between the diameter of the first tube member  10  and the diameter of the connection member  30 , that is, a difference between the diameter of the first tube member  10  and the diameter of the second tube member  20  inevitably increases as the sizes of the rotation preventing groove  104  and the rotation preventing protrusions  303  and  304  increase, the rigidity of the stick  1  remarkably decreases. 
         [0070]    According to the embodiment, when a rotational force is applied to the second tube member  20 , the rotational force which is applied to the second tube member  20  is canceled while the sleeve  200  which is connected to the second tube member  20  freely rotates relative to the connection portion  321  of the connection member  30 . Accordingly, even in a case where a rotational force is applied to the second tube member  20 , the relative position of the connection member  30  with respect to the first tube member  10  is maintained as it is, thereby preventing a deviation in the position of the button  301  due to the rotational force which is applied to the second tube member  20 . 
         [0071]    According to such a configuration, since the rotation preventing protrusion and the rotation preventing groove may be formed in a small size in which the connection member  30  does not simply rotate inside the first tube member  10 , the inner diameter portion of the first tube member  10  and the outer diameter portions of the second tube member  20  and the connection member  30  may come into close contact with each other as much as possible. Accordingly, there is an advantage that the entire rigidity of the stick  1  may be improved. 
         [0072]    On the other hand, a rotational force may be applied to the second tube member  20  even in a state where the stick  1  according to the embodiment is lengthened and the button  301  is fastened to the button hole  101 . Even at this time, since the second tube member  20  is rotatably connected to the connection member  30 , the rotational force of the second tube member  20  is not transmitted to the connection member  30 . 
         [0073]    Accordingly, the relative position of the connection member  30  with respect to the first tube member  10  is maintained as it is, so that any force is not applied to the button  301  which is a locking unit that maintains the locking state of the first tube member  10  and the second tube member  20 . Therefore, the button  301  is prevented from being damaged due to the rotational force applied to the second tube member  20 . 
         [0074]    Furthermore, according to the embodiment, since the second tube member  20  is rotatable relative to the first tube member  10  in any state where the stick  1  is lengthened or shortened, it is possible to prevent that the rotation force which is applied to the second tube member  20  is transmitted to the first tube member  10  so that the first tube member  10  rotates. Accordingly, for example, in a case where the upper tube member  2  (see  FIG. 1 ) and the first tube member  10  are fixed and connected by a screw locking type connection structure, since it is possible to prevent the screw locking unit of the upper tube member  2  and the first tube member  10  from being unexpected unlocked as the first tube member  10  rotates due to the external factor, the reliability of the stick  1  improves. 
         [0075]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate the stick  1  according to another embodiment of the disclosure. In  FIGS. 7 and 8 , only the first tube member  10 , the second tube member  20 , and the connection member  30  of the stick  1  are shown. 
         [0076]    The embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that the lower end portion of the body portion  320  of the connection member  30  does not come into close contact with the upper end portion of the second tube member  20 , but is away therefrom by a predetermined distance  370  and a part of the connection portion  321  of the connection member  30  is exposed to the outside. Such a distance  370  is formed by forming the length of the insert  323  of the connection portion  321  according to the embodiment so as to be longer than the length of the insert according to the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, a spring  371  is provided between the insert  323  as a part of the connection portion  321  and the sleeve  200 . 
         [0077]    The shape and the operation of the entire configuration of the stick  1  according to the embodiment except for the above-described difference are the same as the shape and the operation of the configuration of the stick according to the above-described embodiment. The same reference numerals are given to the corresponding components in two embodiments. 
         [0078]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are diagrams illustrating a principle in which the stick  1  according to the embodiment absorbs an impact. 
         [0079]    Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the sleeve  200  is not only rotatable about the connection portion  321  of the connection member  30 , but also slidable with respect to the connection portion  321  of the connection member  30 . 
         [0080]    In the state shown in  FIG. 9 , when the user presses the stick  1  against the ground, an impact is applied from the ground to the second tube member  20  in the upward direction. Due to such an impact, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the sleeve  200  slides along the connection portion  321  in the upward direction, and the second tube member  20  which is connected to the sleeve  200  moves in the upward direction. At this time, the spring  371  which is disposed between the connection portion  321  and the sleeve  200  is compressed. 
         [0081]    Since no impact is transmitted to the connection member  30  and the first tube member  10  because the impact applied to the second tube member  20  is removed as the sleeve  200  slides along the connection portion  321 , no impact is applied to the user which grips the stick. 
         [0082]    When the impact which is applied to the second tube member  20  disappears, the sleeve  200  and the second tube member  20  return to the original position shown in  FIG. 9  due to the elastic force of the spring  371 . 
         [0083]    According to the present disclosure, as in the above-described embodiment, the second tube member  20  freely rotates relative to the connection member  30 , so that the rotational force applied to the second tube member  20  is not transmitted to the connection member  30 , but also the longitudinal force applied to the second tube member  20  is not applied to the connection member  30 , which has an advantage that the impact applied to the stick  1  may be absorbed. 
         [0084]    While the exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.