Abstract:
A handle for a cane that includes a bulbous protrusion formed on the underside of the handle, against the shaft. The shape and dimensions of the bulbous protrusion better accommodates the natural spacing between a user&#39;s fingers. The bulbous protrusion&#39;s location against the shaft and the palm support also provides for better control of the shaft of the cane.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/838,889, entitled “Ergonomic Cane Handle with an Ovoid Form Against the Shank and Under the Handle for Better Finger Placement, Cane Control and Improved Grip,” filed Aug. 15, 2007, which application is incorporated in its entirety here by this reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention concerns an improved handle for an assistive walking cane. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Previous designs for cane handles employ a generally uniform girth of material through the shaft of the cane to the handle. The most common handles available are crook handles, derby handles and ‘fritz’ handles. The crook handle, being the most rudimentary, consists only of a hook shape of uniform girth throughout. This places the user&#39;s center of balance improperly at a point behind the shaft of the cane. 
         [0004]    Some handles extend from the shaft not in a rounded hook shape but at a 90 degree angle. The user&#39;s weight is then placed over the handle and not the shaft of the cane. These handles may have a rounded aspect to their underside but the rounded aspect is not a form against the shaft. Therefore, it does not add to the stability of the user&#39;s grip on the shaft of the cane. Some cane handles correct the alignment problem by placing the user&#39;s arm in line with the shaft of the cane. But these designs utilize a handle that extends from the shaft at a girth that matches the girth of the shaft. It is believed that handles extending from the shaft at a 90 degree angle give the user very little control over the direction of the cane, enabling for more “roll” of the handle within the grip of the user. Such “roll” results in instability in the placement of the cane to the left and right of the user&#39;s grip. 
         [0005]    Other handles give the user better control of the shaft, but still only provide the fingers with a grip that continues in girth from the shaft to the handle. This does not completely solve the problem of “roll” and does little to provide the fingers with adequate spacing and placement throughout the grip. 
         [0006]    In the case of all these grips, the fingers end up cramped together on the handle. A user tightening his or her hold on these handles does not necessarily get greater control of the cane, because the force is not properly distributed to the cane through the handle. All fingers clamping as one to a tubular handle and shaft do little against the forces that pull the cane and cause the handle to “roll” in the user&#39;s grip. 
         [0007]    Moreover, these canes all have a similar trait—the handles maintain a circumference from shaft towards tip that disregards finger length. On the human hand, the longest finger is the middle finger, followed by the ring finger, descending in order to the pinky finger. Some cane handles force the index finger to rest on the shaft of the cane, while the remaining fingers grip the handle. With handles that extend from the shaft in uniform girth, the individual fingers of different length must all deal with the same circumference handle—each to varying degrees of efficiency. 
         [0008]    Thus, there is still a need for a cane that provides true support and alignment, and the necessary grip and cane control that can keep a user walking far longer than current walking canes. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The ergonomic cane handle of the present invention comprises a palm support; a front end adjacent to the palm support, wherein the front end comprises a neck extending in a first direction away from the palm support; a back end opposite the front end and adjacent to the palm support, a first side adjacent to the front end, the back end, and the palm support; a second side opposite the first side and adjacent to the front end, the back end, and the palm support; a finger grip portion opposite the palm support and adjacent to the first side, the second side and the back end; and a bulbous protrusion opposite the palm support and adjacent to the front end, the first side, the second side and the finger grip portion, wherein the bulbous protrusion comprises a primary axis along which a length of the bulbous protrusion is defined, a secondary axis, perpendicular to the primary axis, along which a height of the bulbous protrusion is defined, and a tertiary axis, perpendicular to the primary axis and the secondary axis, along which a width of the bulbous protrusion is defined, wherein the length is at least the same measurement as the width and the height. Preferably, the bulbous protrusion is ovoid in shape. 
         [0010]    The inclusion of an ovoid shape on the underside of the handle, against the shaft provides numerous advantages to the user. For example, the problem of “roll”—the handle twisting out of the grip of the user—is solved by the ovoid shape incorporated into the handle, against the shaft. The palm and fingers of the hand meet greater force distribution through the form of the handle. Thus, the user can keep the cane shaft better aligned with the arm and the ground, providing the user with better stability. 
         [0011]    The bulbous protrusion positioned against the shaft of the cane also distributes hand-grip-force more efficiently to the shaft, even further improving control of the cane overall. 
         [0012]    The increased circumference of the bulbous protrusion gives the middle finger a more fitting grip at that finger&#39;s position on the cane handle. Since the ovoid shape decreases in circumference towards the back end, the grip of the ring finger is accordingly also accounted for, as well as the grip of the pinky finger. The force exerted through all fingers is more perfectly transmitted to the cane, and the fingers are not left cramped together. Toward the back end of the handle, the bulbous protrusion tapers to a narrow bridge where the pinky finger can better contribute to grip. 
         [0013]    As the curvature of the ovoid shape meets the shaft of the cane, placement of the thumb and forefinger along the shaft are also accounted for, maximizing their grip along the cane. 
         [0014]    The handle of the cane also extends up to better fill the palmer arch of the hand, keeping the wrist in better alignment with the arm, cane and ground. 
         [0015]    These objects, as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become clearer through consideration of the following description and accompanying designs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1A  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the ergonomic cane handle of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1B  is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the ergonomic cane handle; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2A  is a side view of an embodiment of the ergonomic cane handle; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2B  is another side view of an embodiment of the ergonomic cane handle; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the ergonomic cane handle; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  is a top view of an embodiment of the ergonomic cane handle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the features of the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0023]    A cane handle  100  providing an ergonomic grip has a palm support  102 , a front end  104  adjacent to the palm support  102 , a back end  106  opposite the front end  104  and adjacent to the palm support  102 , a first side  108  adjacent to the front end  104 , the back end  106 , and the palm support  102 , a second side  110  opposite the first side  108  and adjacent to the front end  104 , the back end  106 , and the palm support  102 , a finger grip portion  112  opposite the palm support  102  and adjacent to the first side  108 , the second side  110  and the back end  106 , and a bulbous protrusion  114  opposite the palm support  102  and adjacent to the front end  104 , the first side  108 , the second side  110  and the finger grip portion  112 . The front end  104  may comprise a neck  115  extending in a first direction away from the palm support  102  along a longitudinal axis  204 . 
         [0024]    The bulbous protrusion  114  improves the ergonomic design over typical cane handles by compensating for the fact that the fingers on a single hand are of different lengths. In particular, the bulbous protrusion  114  positioned at the front end  104  may accommodate the index finger and the middle finger or the middle finger and ring finger, depending on how the user grasps the cane. It is contoured to afford maximum grip to the hand and fingers, while aligning the user&#39;s hand and arm directly over the shaft of the cane. The shaft  122  of the cane widens at the neck  115  where the bulbous protrusion  114  begins. The handle  100  then extends up from the bulbous protrusion  114  at an angle to fill the palmer arch of the hand. The bulbous protrusion  114  at the base of the handle  100  provides better control of the cane shaft  122  direction and stability. In addition, it produces more accurate spacing of the fingers along the grip  112 . The bulbous protrusion  114  tapers back to the underside of the handle  100  where the handle  100  extends to the grip  112  that is useful for the pinky finger in gripping the cane handle  100 . The grip  112  may be square shaped, trapezoidal, curved, cylindrical, oblong, tapered, or any other shape providing comfort to the pinky. 
         [0025]    The bulbous protrusion  114  is generally an ovoid shape comprising a primary axis  200  defining a length of the bulbous protrusion  114 , a secondary axis  202  defining a height of the bulbous protrusion  114 , and a tertiary axis  300  defining a width of the bulbous protrusion  114 , wherein the length is greater than the width and the height. In some embodiments, the bulbous protrusion  114  may be spherical, therefore, the length, width, and height may be the same measurements. 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, the primary axis  200  is provided at an angle A relative to a longitudinal axis  204  defined by the neck  115  and shaft  122  of the cane. The neck portion  115 , when in general use, may be perpendicular to the ground, therefore, parallel with the shaft  122  of a cane. The angle A between the primary axis  200  and the longitudinal axis  204  of the cane may be between approximately 25 degrees and 75 degrees. Preferably, the primary axis  200  and the longitudinal axis  204  define an angle A between approximately 30 degrees and approximately 60 degrees. More preferably, the primary axis  200  and the longitudinal axis  204  define an angle A of approximately 45 degrees. Providing such an angle A better accommodates the fingers because the bulbous protrusion  114  is thickest in the center of the bulbous protrusion  114  and narrows as it approaches the front end  104  and the grip portion  112 . This allows the middle finger, which is generally the longest finger, to rest on the thickest portion of the bulbous protrusion  114  while the index finger rests on a narrower or thinner portion of the bulbous protrusion  114  thereby providing a comfortable grip. 
         [0027]    In addition, the placement of the bulbous protrusion  114  at the front end  104  and adjacent to the cane shaft  122  allows the bulbous protrusion  114  to provide added support to the palm support  102 , by directing any downward force applied to the middle or rear portion of the palm support  102  into the neck  115  or shaft  122  of the cane. 
         [0028]    The bulbous protrusion  114  may come in a variety of sizes to accommodate hands of different sizes. In some embodiments, the length measures between approximately 0.5 inch and approximately 2.5 inches. Preferably, the length measures between approximately 1.0 inch and approximately 2.0 inches. More preferably, the length measures between approximately 1.3 inches and 1.8 inches. The width may measure between approximately 0.5 inch and approximately 1.8 inches. Preferably, the width measures between approximately 1.2 inches and approximately 1.4 inches. The height may measure between approximately 0.5 inch and approximately 1.5 inches. Preferably, the height measures between approximately 0.8 inch and approximately 1.2 inches. 
         [0029]    In some embodiments, the cane handle  100  may further comprise a groove  116  on the first side  108 , between the palm support  102  and the bulbous protrusion  114 . The groove  116  provides for an ergonomic placement of the thumb. In some embodiments, the cane handle  100  may comprise a second groove on the second side  110  for ergonomic placement of the index finger. 
         [0030]    To further provide a comfortable, ergonomic grip, the first side  108  and second side  110  may taper from the palm support  102  to the finger grip  112 . This provides a broad palm support to fully support the palm while providing a narrow grip area to allow the fingers, particularly the ring finger and/or the pinky finger to easily grasp the grip portion  112 . 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the cane handle  100  comprises a shoulder  118  at the front end  104  defining a web groove  120  to provide support at the webbing between the index finger and the thumb. This prevents the hand from slipping off the cane handle at the front end  104 . 
         [0032]    When a cane comprising the ergonomic cane handle is in normal use, the palm support  102  is generally parallel with the ground. In some embodiments, the palm support  112  comprises an upward curvature from the front end  104  to the back end  106 . This upward curvature accommodates the shape of the butt of the palm of the hand, just below the thumb. 
         [0033]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.