Abstract:
A convertible cane assembly comprises a pair of canes which can be used separately by a cane user. The canes include connections for securing the canes in side-by-side relation to provide a single cane which can be used in a normal manner. An important feature of the connections is the ability to easily separate the canes. In the single cane version, loads are preferably transferred through the entire length of both canes, meaning that the connections do not have to carry substantial loads.

Description:
[0001]    This invention is a walking aid which can be readily converted from a single cane into a pair of canes.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Those who walk with a cane often find themselves in a situation where it would be desirable to have two canes, one for each hand. For example, it is often difficult for a cane user to negotiate a curb with a single cane and much easier if the person has a cane in each hand. Other similar situations will be apparent and are well known to cane users. In response to this need, it has been proposed to provide a hollow cane which houses a second cane on the inside as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,375,912 and 4,556,075. A major disadvantage of this approach is that the inner cane does not, and almost inherently cannot, have an enlarged rubber foot which promotes traction with the underlying surface.  
           [0003]    In another situation, it is often desirable for a person who habitually uses two walking aids to join them together so they are more easily stowed when not in use. In response to this situation, crutches and other walking aids are joined together for stowage as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,849 and EPO application WO 92/17142.  
           [0004]    Other disclosures of interest relative to this invention are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,734,554 and 6,206,019.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In this invention, a single more-or-less conventional appearing cane is readily broken apart into a pair of canes of sufficient size and strength to provide a cane for each hand of a cane user. Often, a cane user wants to have an additional cane under adverse conditions, e.g. in a poorly lit area when it is cold and raining. Accordingly, an important feature of this invention is the ability to separate the two canes in an easy manner so the canes can be used separately.  
           [0006]    When it is desired to use only a single cane, the two canes are attached together in a side-by-side relation to provide a cane assembly. Preferably, the handle of the single cane assembly comprises the two abutted handles of the separate canes and the foot of the single cane assembly comprises the two abutted feet of the separate canes. An important advantage of the side-by-side relationship of the canes is that both canes can be provided with resilient feet. In preferred embodiments of this invention, the load imparted to the single cane by the user is supported by both canes so essentially no load is placed on the connecting mechanism.  
           [0007]    It is an object of this invention to provide an improved convertible cane assembly.  
           [0008]    A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cane assembly which can be used as a single cane and which is readily disassembled to provide two separate canes.  
           [0009]    A more specific object of this invention is to provide a convertible cane assembly having a pair of canes connected in side-by-side abutting relation which can be used as a single cane.  
           [0010]    Another object of this invention is to provide a method of using a convertible cane assembly.  
           [0011]    These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings and appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a convertible cane of this invention, illustrated in a single cane configuration;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a end view of the convertible cane of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a top view of the convertible cane of FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the convertible cane of FIGS.  1 - 3 ;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view of another embodiment of this invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIGS. 6 and 7 are views of the inside of another embodiment of this invention, illustrating a different type of connection;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the connection in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is an end view illustrating another embodiment of this invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of side-by-side canes illustrating another feature of this invention; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 11 is an enlarged isometric view of another embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 4 , a convertible cane assembly  10  of this invention comprises a pair of side-by-side canes  12 ,  14  which are joined together by a releasable connection  16  so the cane assembly  10  can be used as a single cane, or the canes  12 ,  14  can be used separately and simultaneously. The canes  12 ,  14  are of generally conventional appearing construction and each comprise a sturdy upright support  18 , a foot  20  having a resilient pad  22  adjacent the bottom of the support  18  and a handle  24  adjacent the upper end of the support  18 . The resilient pad  22  is of a conventional type used for canes and is typically made of dry natural rubber. The resilient pad  22  is as large as is reasonable and is preferably at least half the cross-sectional area of the upright support  18 . It is preferred that the load imparted by the cane user to the cane assembly  10  be sustained by both canes  12 ,  14  so that no substantial force is imparted through the connection  16 .  
         [0023]    The connection  16  may be of any suitable type commensurate with its desired functions, which include the ability to keep the canes  12 ,  14  together when so desired while providing the ability to separate the canes  12 ,  14  in an easy and expeditious manner. One embodiment of the connection  16  is shown in FIGS.  1 - 4  where the cane  12  provides a pair of vertically spaced inclined passages  26  receiving inclined pegs  28  provided by the cane  14 . The pegs  28  and passages  26  prevent the canes  12 ,  14  from separating so long as there is no relative vertical movement between the canes  12 ,  14 .  
         [0024]    The connection  16  also includes a device  30  selectively preventing vertical movement between the canes  12 ,  14  in the form of a tab  32  pivoted to the cane  14  for movement into a pair of aligned grooves  34  in the ends of the handles  24 . The tab  32  and grooves  34  are sized to fit snugly. With the canes  12 ,  14  in a side-by-side abutting relation so the pegs  28  fit into the inclined passages  26  and with the tab  32  received in the grooves  34 , the canes  12 ,  14  are joined together into the cane assembly  10  and can be used as a single cane.  
         [0025]    When the case user desires to use two canes, the tab  32  is simply pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 4 and the canes  12 ,  14  shifted vertically as allowed by the inclined pegs  28  and passages  26 . The canes  12 ,  14  accordingly separate in a simple efficient manner and can be simultaneously used as two separate canes. When the user desires to use only a single cane, the canes  12 ,  14  are connected together and the user grasps both handles  24  with a single hand. Accordingly, the handles  24  in the assembled position of FIGS.  1 - 3  is preferably not more than about  3 ″ in diameter so it will fit easily into a user&#39;s hand. It will be seen that the bottoms of the resilient padded feet  22  are in a common plane so the load imparted by the user is applied more-or-less equally to both pads  22  thereby providing a more stable walking aid.  
         [0026]    Referring to FIG. 5, another embodiment of this invention is illustrated where a convertible cane assembly  40  includes a pair of separate, generally mirror image canes  42 ,  44  which are releasably connected by a hook-and-loop fastener  46  comprising a strip of material having a multiplicity of hooks  48  on the cane  42  and a strip of material having a multiplicity of loops  50  on the cane  44 .  
         [0027]    Referring to FIGS.  6 - 7 , another convertible cane assembly  56  of this invention comprises a pair of canes  58 ,  60  each comprising an upright support  62 , a foot  64  having a resilient pad  66  adjacent the bottom of the support  62  and a handle  68  adjacent the upper end of the support  62 . The canes  58 ,  60  are slightly flattened on the side shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 so that, when connected, the cane assembly  56  appears generally round. A connection  70  secures the canes  58 ,  60  together when the user wants to use a single cane and allows the canes  58 ,  60  to separate for use separately and simultaneously.  
         [0028]    The connection  70  comprises a pair of vertically spaced metal brackets  72  on the cane  60  providing a key hole slot  74  having an enlarged generally circular upper end  76  and a narrow vertical slot  78 . A pair of pins  80  on the cane  62  mate with the key hole slot  74  in a conventional manner. The pins  80  provide an enlarged head  82  and a smaller shank  84  so the enlarged head  82  passes through the upper end  76  of the key hole slot  74  as suggested in FIG. 8. With the enlarged head  82  received inside the upper end  76  of the slot  74 , the canes  58 ,  60  are moved vertically relative to each other thereby moving the pins  80  downwardly in the slot  74  as suggested by the arrow and dashed lines in FIG. 8. It will be seen that the pins  80  may comprise a round headed screw with the head of a size between the slot  78  and the upper slot end  76 . It will be seen that the enlarged heads  82  prevent horizontal relative movement between the canes  58 ,  60  while friction between the pins  80  and slot  74  controls relative vertical movement between the canes  58 ,  60 .  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 9, another convertible cane  86  of this invention is illustrated comprising single canes  88 ,  90  which each include side-by-side upright supports  92  having a resilient padded foot  94  and a handle  96 . A connector  98  releasably secures the canes  88 ,  90  together for use as a single cane or as two separate canes. The handles  96  are offset relative to each other so the user grasps only one handle while using the convertible cane  86  rather than grasping both handles as in the embodiments of FIGS.  1 - 8 .  
         [0030]    It often happens that a cane user will know that there will be no need to use two canes and may wish to connect the canes in a more secure manner thereby preventing them from separating inadvertently. To this end, an additional secure connector may be provided. The secure connector  100  may be of any suitable type but is illustrated in FIG. 10 as a simple threaded fastener having a threaded shank  102  embedded in one of the canes  104  extending through a passage  106  in a second cane  108  and a wing nut  110  provided to receive the shank  102 .  
         [0031]    Referring to FIG. 11, there is shown another cane assembly  112  comprising a pair of canes  114 ,  116  having means (not shown) analogous to the pegs  28  and passages  26  for holding the canes  114 ,  116  together so long as there is no relative vertical movement between the canes  114 ,  116 . The cane assembly  112  also comprises a mechanism  118  analogous to the device  30  for preventing relative vertical movement between the canes  114 ,  116 . The mechanism  118  comprises a pair of aligned slots  120 ,  122  in the canes  114 ,  116  near the junction of the upright vertical support and the handle. A tab  124  is pivoted for movement about an axis  126  provided by a screw or pin (not shown). With the tab  124  in the position shown in FIG. 11, i.e. wholly within the confines of the slot  120 , the canes  114 ,  116  are freed for relative vertical movement so the canes  114 ,  116  can be separated for individual use. To secure the canes  114 ,  116  together, they are placed in side-by-side relation and the tab  124  pivoted into the slot  122  whereby the canes  114 ,  116  are prevented from relative vertical movement and are thus connected together.  
         [0032]    A further feature of the cane assembly  112  is an supplementary locking mechanism comprising a bolt  128 . If the user decides that separate use of the canes  114 ,  116  will not be necessary, the tab  124  is pivoted into the slot  122  and the bolt  128  is passed through aligned openings  130 ,  132  preventing the tab  124  from pivoting to the position shown in FIG. 11. A nylon nut  134  in the bottom of the passage  132  provides sufficient friction to retain the bolt  128  in place. The bolt  128  preferably provides a head  136  that can be grasped between the thumb and forefinger for readily advancing the bolt  128  into the nylon nut  134 . To provide a convenient storage location for the bolt  128 , a storage passage  138  is provided in the handle  140  rearward of the slots  120 ,  122 . The storage passage  138  also provides a nylon nut  140  for frictionally holding the bolt  128  so it will not be lost.  
         [0033]    It will accordingly be seen that the convertible canes of this invention comprise two separately useable canes having exteriors which, in the configuration of a single cane, are side-by-side and the exteriors face each other.  
         [0034]    Although this invention has been disclosed and described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms is only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of operation and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.