Patent Publication Number: US-9414655-B2

Title: Walking stick chair

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/831,566, filed on Mar. 14, 2013, which claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 101127841, filed on Aug. 1, 2012, Taiwanese Application No. 101127837, filed on Aug. 1, 2012, and Taiwanese Application No. 101147797, filed on Dec. 17, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a walking stick, more particularly to a foldable walking stick chair that is convertible between a walking stick and a chair. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Elder people have inferior physical condition. Usually, they need to walk with a walking stick, and take a rest after walking for a period of time. Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. 277239 discloses a conventional foldable walking stick chair including a main stick, a leg unit and a seat unit. The main stick has a handle portion and a foot portion opposite to the handle portion. The leg unit is connected pivotally to the main stick at a pivot point to form a scissors-like structure, and has a support end and a connecting end opposite to the support end. The seat unit includes a slider member connected slidably to the main stick between the handle portion and the pivot point, and a seat plate connected pivotally to the slider member and the connecting end of the leg unit to form a slider-crank mechanism. 
     When the conventional walking stick chair is unfolded to be utilized as a chair, the main stick and the leg unit form an angle, the support end of the leg unit cooperates with the foot portion of the main stick for supporting the entire walking stick chair, and the seat plate is horizontal and forms an angle with the main stick. When the conventional walking stick chair is folded to be utilized as a walking stick, the slider member is moved upwardly toward the handle portion, the seat plate pivots downwardly relative to the slider member to be close to the main stick, and the leg unit pivots toward the main stick to reduce the angle between the leg unit and the main stick. At the folded state, the support end of the leg unit is lifted from the ground. 
     Despite being operable between a folded state and an unfolded state, the abovementioned walking stick chair has several disadvantages: 
     1. When the walking stick chair serves as a walking stick at the folded state, the support end of the leg unit is still proximate to the ground. If the ground is uneven, the support end may hit a projecting portion of the ground. Moreover, since the leg unit is X-shaped, a user may easily stumble on the leg unit when using the conventional walking stick chair as a walking stick. 
     2. In the folded state, the center of gravity of the walking stick chair is distal from the handle portion, so that the walking stick chair is laborious for the user when being used as a walking stick. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,565, U.S. Pat. No. 2,380,437, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,414 have disadvantages similar to the abovementioned walking stick chair. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a walking stick chair that is labor-saving and safe when serving as a walking stick. 
     Accordingly, a walking stick chair of the present invention comprises: 
     a main stick having
         an elongated rod body that has opposite upper and lower ends,   a handle portion that is connected to the upper end of the rod body, and   a foot portion that is connected to the lower end of the rod body;       

     a seat unit including
         an upper slider member that is connected slidably to the rod body and that is movable along the rod body between a first position and a second position, the second position being distal from the handle portion, the first position being located between the handle portion and the second position, and   a seat member that is connected to the upper slider member;       

     a support unit having a pivoted end portion that is connected pivotally to the rod body under the upper slider member of the seat unit, and a free end portion opposite to the pivoted end portion; and 
     a linking unit disposed between and connected pivotally to the support unit and the seat unit; 
     wherein, when the upper slider member is at the second position, the seat member is at an unfolded state where the seat member and the rod body form an angle, and the support unit is at an unfolded state where the free end portion of the support unit is away from the rod body and cooperates with the foot portion for contacting ground; and 
     wherein, when the upper slider member moves upwardly from the second position to the first position, the seat member moves toward the rod body to a folded state, and the linking unit is driven to move upwardly to actuate the support unit to pivot upwardly to a folded state where the free end portion is close to the rod body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a walking stick chair according to the invention at an unfolded state; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the first preferred embodiment at the unfolded state; 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary partly sectional view of the first preferred embodiment taken along line III-III in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment taken along line IV-IV in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another side view of the first preferred embodiment beginning to be folded; 
         FIG. 6  is another side view of the first preferred embodiment in the process of being folded; 
         FIG. 7  is another side view of the first preferred embodiment at a folded state; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the first preferred embodiment at the folded state; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment at the folded state; 
         FIG. 10  is still another side view of the first preferred embodiment at the folded state; 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of a variation of the first preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of another variation of the first preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of a second preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of a third preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of a fourth preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of a variation of the fourth preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a side view of a fifth preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 18  is a side view of a sixth preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 19  is a side view of a seventh preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 20  is a side view of an eighth preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 21  is a side view of a ninth preferred embodiment according to the invention; 
         FIG. 22  is a side view of a variation of the ninth preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 23  is a perspective view of still another variation of the first preferred embodiment at an unfolded state; 
         FIG. 24  is another perspective view of the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 23  at a folded state; 
         FIG. 25  is a perspective view of a tenth preferred embodiment according to the invention at an unfolded state; 
         FIG. 26  is a perspective view of an eleventh preferred embodiment according to the invention at an unfolded state; 
         FIG. 27  is a side view of the eleventh preferred embodiment at the unfolded state; and 
         FIG. 28  is a perspective view of the eleventh preferred embodiment at a folded state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first preferred embodiment of a walking stick chair according to the present invention comprises a main stick  1 , a seat unit  2 , a positioning unit  3 , a support unit  4 , and a linking unit  5 . 
     The main stick  1  has an elongated rod body  10  that has opposite upper and lower ends, a hook-shaped handle portion  11  that is connected to the upper end of the rod body  10 , a foot portion  12  that is connected to the lower end of the rod body  10 , and a plurality of angularly spaced-apart grooves  181 ,  182 ,  183 ,  184  (see  FIG. 4 ) that are formed in an outer surface of the rod body  10  and that extend in a longitudinal direction of the rod body  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the rod body  10  is tubular and formed by a rod body wall with a thickness shorter than depths of the grooves  181 ,  182 ,  183 ,  184 . The rod body  10  has a central space  13 , a pair of upper through holes  14  communicating spatially and respectively with the central space  13  and two of the grooves  182 ,  184  and formed near the handle portion  11 , and a pair of lower through holes  16  communicating spatially and respectively with the central space  13  and the two of the grooves  182 ,  184  and formed below the upper through holes  14 . The main stick  1  further has an upper resilient bow member  15  that is disposed in the rod body  10  and that has a pair of upper projections  151  projecting retractably and respectively through the upper through holes  14 , and a lower resilient bow member  17  that is disposed in the rod body  10  and that has a pair of lower projections  171  projecting retractably and respectively through the lower through holes  16 . The configuration of the grooves  181 ,  182 ,  183 ,  184  enhances the structural strength of the rod body  10 . 
     The seat unit  2  includes an upper slider member  21  that is connected slidably to the rod body  10 , a seat member  22  that is connected pivotally to the upper slider member  21 , and a resilient member  24  connected between the upper slider member  21  and the rod body  10  for biasing the upper slider member  21  toward the foot portion  12 . The upper slider member  21  is movable along the rod body  10  between a first position (see  FIG. 6 ) and a second position (see  FIG. 2 ). The second position is distal from the handle portion  11 , and the first position is located between the handle portion  11  and the second position. The upper slider member  21  is sleeved on the rod body  10 , and has a pair of through holes  211  corresponding in angular position to the two of the grooves  182 ,  184  of the rod body  10  for extension of the upper projections  151  so as to position the upper slider member  21  relative to the rod body  10 . The upper slider member  21  further has a pair of button members  212  installed slidably and respectively in the through holes  211 , and operable to press inwardly the upper projections  151  and disengage the upper projections  151  from the through holes  211  so as to permit the movement of the upper slider member  21  between the first and second positions. The upper slider member  21  further has a guide block  213  engaging slidably the groove  182  for preventing rotation of the upper slider member  21  relative to the rod body  10 . The resilient member  24  is disposed in another groove  183 . 
     The seat member  22  includes a main plate  221  and a pair of lateral plates  222  connected respectively to opposite lateral edges of the main plate  221  and pivotable relative to the main plate  211  to a folded state (see  FIG. 9 ). 
     In this embodiment, the positioning unit  3  includes an abutment member  31  connected immovably to the rod body  10  under the upper slider member  21 , a middle slider member  32  connected slidably to the rod body  10  and disposed between the abutment member  31  and the upper slider member  21 , and a resilient member  33  connected between the middle slider member  32  and the rod body  10  for biasing the middle slider member  32  toward the abutment member  31 . The middle slider member  32  has a guide block  321  engaging slidably the groove  184  for limiting rotation of the middle slider member  32  relative to the rod body  10 . The resilient member  33  is disposed in the groove  181 . The positioning unit  3  further includes a lower slider member  19  connected slidably to the rod body  10  and disposed between the middle slider member  32  and the foot portion  12 , and a connecting rod  191  disposed slidably in the groove  184  and interconnecting co-movably the lower and middle slider members  19 ,  32 . 
     The seat unit  2  further includes a pair of linkage sets  23 , each of which is disposed between and connected pivotally to the seat member  22  and the positioning unit  3 . In this embodiment, each of the linkage sets  23  includes first, second and third bars  231 ,  232 ,  233 . For each linkage sets  23 , the first bar  231  has one end connected pivotally to the seat member  22 , and another end connected pivotally to one end of the second bar  232 , the second bar  232  has another end connected pivotally to the middle slider member  32 , and the third bar  233  has opposite ends connected pivotally and respectively to the second bar  232  and the upper slider member  21 . 
     The support unit  4  includes a pair of support legs  41 , each of which has an upper leg component  43  and a lower leg component  44 . The upper leg component  43  has a pivoted end portion  433  connected pivotally to the middle slider member  32 , and the lower leg component  44  has a free end portion  441  and an opposite end portion connected pivotally to an opposite end portion  434  of the upper leg component  43  oppositely of the pivoted end portion  433 . The support unit  4  further includes a pair of auxiliary linkages  42 , each of which has an end connected pivotally to the lower slider member  19  and an opposite end connected pivotally to a respective one of the lower leg components  44 . 
     The linking unit  5  is disposed between and connected pivotally to the support unit  4  and the seat unit  2 . In this embodiment, the linking unit  5  includes a pair of linking members  51 , each of which has an end serving as a driven portion connected pivotally to the upper slider member  21  and an opposite end  511  serving as a driving portion connected pivotally to the upper leg component  43  of a respective one of the support legs  4 . Each of the linking members  51  is connected to the respective upper leg component  43  at a pivot point between the corresponding pivoted end portion  433  and the corresponding lower leg component  44 . Each of the linking members  51  has a length larger than a distance between the pivot point and the pivoted end portion  433  of the respective upper leg component  43 . 
     When the upper slider member  21  is at the second position with the lower projections  171  of the lower resilient bow member  17  extending respectively into the through holes  211  of the upper slider member  21 , the seat member  22  is at an unfolded state where the seat member  22  and the rod body  10  form an angle and the main plate  221  and the lateral plates  222  form a flat plate, the middle slider member  32  abuts against the abutment member  31 , and the support legs  41  are at an unfolded state where the free end portions  441  are away from the rod body  10  of the main stick  1  and cooperate with the foot portion  12  of the main stick  1  for contacting ground (i.e., the walking stick chair is at an unfolded state, see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). 
     When the walking stick chair of this embodiment serves as a chair, the upper slider member  21  is at the second position and the through holes  211  of the upper slider member  21  engage respectively the lower projections  171  of the lower resilient bow member  17 . To collapse the walking stick chair, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the button members  212  of the upper slider member  21  are pressed to disengage the lower projections  171  from the through holes  211  of the upper slider member  21 , so that the upper slider member  21  is allowed to move upwardly against the resilient member  24 . Since the resilient member  33  biases the middle slider member  32  toward the abutment member  31  and the connecting rod  191  interconnects co-movably the middle and bottom slider members  32 ,  19 , when the upper slider member  21  is moved upwardly from the second position to the first position, the middle and bottom slider members  32 ,  19 , and the connecting rod  191  are temporarily held immovably by the resilient member  33 . During the abovementioned upward movement of the upper slider member  21 , each third bar  233  is driven to move upwardly and drives a corresponding second bar  232  to pivot upwardly, the corresponding second bar  232  thus drives a corresponding first bar  231  to pivot downwardly relative thereto to therefore drive the seat member  22  to pivot downwardly and toward the rod body  10  to move to the folded state. Meanwhile, the linkage sets  23  convert to a folded state, the linking members  51  are driven by the upper slider member  21  to move upwardly to actuate the upper leg components  43  to pivot upwardly, and the auxiliary linkages  42  actuate the lower leg components  44  to pivot downwardly so that the support legs  41  convert to a folded state where the free end portions  441  are close to the rod body  10  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     After the seat member  22 , the linkage sets  23  and the support legs  41  are driven to their folded states, the upper slider member  21  can be further moved from the first position to an uppermost position (see  FIGS. 7 to 10 ) and drives the seat member  22 , the linkage sets  23 , the middle slider member  32 , the support unit  4 , and the linking unit  5  to move upwardly therewith to thereby complete the conversion of this embodiment into a walking stick (i.e., the walking stick chair is at an folded state, see  FIGS. 7 to 10 ). As a result, the center of gravity of the walking stick chair is relatively close to the handle portion  11 . 
     To sum up, when the first preferred embodiment is at the folded state to serve as a walking stick, since the center of gravity thereof is close to the handle portion  11 , walking with such a walking stick is labor-saving for a user. On the other hand, since the support legs  41  pivot upwardly when being folded, the free end portions  441  are close to the rod body  10  and away from the foot portion  12  when the support legs  41  are at the folded state. Therefore, the free end portions  441  would not hit a projecting portion of the ground, and the user would not stumble on the support legs  41 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a variation of the first preferred embodiment, in which the connecting rod  191 , the lower slider member  19  and the auxiliary linkages  42  are omitted. 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , another variation of the first preferred embodiment also omits the connecting rod  191 , the lower slider member  19  and the auxiliary linkages  42  in the first preferred embodiment. Each linking member  51 ′ of the linking unit  5 ′ has one end serving as the driven portion and connected to the upper slider member  21 , an opposite end  512 ′ opposite to the one end, and an intermediate portion  511 ′ between the one end and the opposite end  512 ′ connected pivotally to a respective one of the upper leg components  43 . The intermediate portion  511 ′ and the opposite end  512 ′ serve as the driving portion. The support unit  4 ′ further includes a pair of sub-leg components  432 ′. Each of the sub-leg components  432 ′ is substantially parallel to a respective one of the upper leg components  43 , and has one end connected pivotally to the opposite end  512 ′ of a corresponding one of the linking members  51 ′ and an opposite end connected pivotally to a corresponding one of the lower leg components  44 ′. It should be noted that only one linking member  51 ′, one upper leg component  43 , one lower leg component  44 ′ and one sub-leg component  432 ′ are visible in  FIG. 12 . When the upper slider member  21  is moved upwardly from the second position to the first position, each linking member  51 ′ is driven to move upwardly and drives a corresponding upper leg component  43  to pivot upwardly, simultaneously, the opposite end  512 ′ thereof drives a corresponding lower leg component  44 ′ to pivot downwardly to the folded state via a corresponding sub-leg component  432 ′. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , a second preferred embodiment of this invention differs from the first preferred embodiment in that the connecting rod  191 , the lower slider member  19  and the auxiliary linkages  42  are omitted, and that each of the linkage sets  23 ″ is configured as a single bar that has opposite ends connected pivotally and respectively to the seat member  22 ″ and the abutment member  31 ″. Each of the linking members  51 ″ of the linking unit  5 ″ has one end serving as the driven portion and connected to the upper slider member  21 , an opposite end  511 ″ opposite to the one end and connected pivotally to a respective one of the upper leg components  43 , and an intermediate portion  512 ″ between the one end and the opposite end  511 ″. The intermediate portion  512 ″ and the opposite end  511 ″ serve as the driving portion. The support unit  4 ″ further includes a pair of sub-leg components  432 ″. Each sub-leg components  432 ″ is substantially parallel to a respective one of the upper leg components  43  and has one end connected pivotally to the intermediate portion  512 ″ of a corresponding linking member  51 ″ and another end connected pivotally to the lower leg component  44 ″ of a corresponding support leg  41 ″. The end portions of the linking members  51 ″ connected to the upper slider member  21  may be connected to the seat member  22  of the seat unit  2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , a third preferred embodiment of this invention differs from the first preferred embodiment in that each of the linkage sets  230  is configured as a single bar that has opposite ends connected pivotally and respectively to the seat member  220  and the abutment member  310 , and that each linking member  510  is connected pivotally between the respective upper leg component  430  and the seat member  220 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , a fourth preferred embodiment according to the invention omits the connecting rod  191 , the lower slider member  19  and the auxiliary linkages  42  in the first preferred embodiment. The pivoted end portion  433 ′ of each support leg  410 ′ of the support unit  400 ′ is connected pivotally to the abutment member  310 ′. The support unit  400 ′ further includes a pair of sub-leg components  436 ′. Each sub-leg component  436 ′ has one end connected pivotally to the respective linking member  510 ′ of the linking unit  500 ′ and another end connected pivotally to the respective lower leg component  440 ′. In this embodiment, an end of each of the linking member  510 ′ connected to the upper slider member  210 ′ may be connected to the seat member  220 ′ of the seat unit  200 ′. 
     Referring to  FIG. 16 , a variation of the fourth preferred embodiment illustrates that the pivoted end portion  4330  of each support leg  4100  of the support unit  4000  is connected pivotally to the middle slider member  3200 . In this embodiment, an end of each of the linking member  5100  connected to the upper slider member  2100  may be connected to the seat member  2200  of the seat unit  2000 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , a fifth preferred embodiment according to the invention includes a positioning unit  300 ″ that merely includes the abutment member  310 ″. Each linkage set  230 ″ is connected pivotally between the abutment member  310 ″ and the seat member  220 ″ of the seat unit  200 ″. The pivoted end portion  433 ″ of each support leg  410 ″ of the support unit  400 ″ is connected pivotally to the abutment member  310 ″. In this embodiment, an end of each of the linking member  510 ″ connected to the seat member  220 ″ of the seat unit  200 ′ may be connected to the upper slider member  210 ″. 
       FIG. 18  shows a sixth preferred embodiment according to the invention. Each of the support legs  71  of the support unit  7  is configured as a single bar, and has one end serving as the pivoted end portion  712  that is connected pivotally to the abutment member  61  of the positioning unit  6 , and an opposite end serving as the free end portion  711  for contacting the ground. Each linking member  81  of the linking unit  8  is configured as a single bar and is connected pivotally between the seat member  22  and a respective one of the support legs  71 . In this embodiment, the linking unit  8  functions in supporting the seat member  22  and driving movement of the support unit  7 . 
       FIG. 19  shows a seventh preferred embodiment according to the invention. The positioning unit  6 ′ includes the abutment member  61 ′ and the middle slider member  62 ′. The upper leg component  73 ′ of each support leg  71 ′ is connected to the middle slider member  62 ′. Each linking member  81 ′ of the linking unit  8 ′ is configured as a single bar and is connected pivotally between the seat member  22  and the upper leg component  73 ′. 
     Referring to  FIG. 20 , an eighth preferred embodiment according to the invention differs from the first preferred embodiment in that each linkage set  2300 ′ is configured as a single bar that has opposite ends connected pivotally and respectively to the seat member  2200 ′ and the middle slider member  3200 ′. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 21 and 22 , a ninth preferred embodiment according to the invention and a variation thereof are similar to the first preferred embodiment. The difference is that the positioning unit  6 ″ in this embodiment includes an abutment member  61 ″, a pair of middle slider members  621 ″,  622 ″ that are connected slidably to the rod body  10  and that are disposed one above the other and between the abutment member  61 ″ and the upper slider member  21 , and a resilient member  623 ″ that is connected between the upper one of the middle slider members  622 ″ and the rod body  10  for biasing the upper one of the middle slider members  622 ″ toward the abutment member  61 ″. The linkage sets  23  and the pivoted end portions  733 ″ of the support unit  7 ″ are connected pivotally and respectively to the middle slider members  621 ″,  622 ″. When the upper slider member  21  is at the second position, a lower one of the middle slider members  621 ″ abuts against the abutment member  61 ″, and an upper one of the middle slider members  622 ″ abuts against the lower one of the middle slider members  621 ″. 
       FIG. 23  shows still another variation of the first preferred embodiment, and the difference therebetween is that the abutment member  610  of the positioning unit  60  is configured as a block protruding from an outer surface of the rod body  10 . The lower slider member  190  has a passage groove  192  adjacent to the outer surface of the rod body  10 . The passage groove  192  moves past the abutment member  610  to permit the lower slider member  190  to slide over the abutment member  610  when the upper slider member  21  moves from the second position to the uppermost position such that, as shown in  FIG. 24 , the abutment member  610  is under the lower slider member  190  when the upper slider member  21  is at the uppermost position. 
     Each of the embodiments in this invention so far has a pair of support legs. However, as shown in  FIG. 25 , a tenth preferred embodiment of this invention includes only one linkage set  80  that is configured as a single bar connected pivotally to the seat member  81  and the abutment member  90 , and the support unit  70  that has only one upper leg component  710  and a furcated lower leg component  720  connected pivotally to the upper leg component  710 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 26 to 28 , an eleventh preferred embodiment of this invention is similar to the variation of the first preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 23 . What is different is that the seat member  202  of the seat unit  200  is made of fabric (e.g., canvas) and is connected fixedly to the upper slider member  201 , and that each of the linkage sets  203  includes a support bar  204  and a drive bar  205 . The support bar  204  of each of the linkage sets  203  has opposite ends connected respectively to the seat member  202  and the middle slider member  302  of the positioning unit  300 . The drive bar  205  of each of the linkage sets  203  has opposite ends connected pivotally and respectively to the corresponding support bar  204  at a pivot point between the opposite ends of the corresponding support bar  204  and the upper slider member  201 . When the upper slider member  201  moves from the second position to the first position, the support unit  400  is driven to the folded state by the linking unit  500 , and each of the support bars  204  is driven to pivot toward the main stick  1  by the corresponding drive bar  205  such that the seat member  202  deforms to be folded between the main stick  1  and the support bars  204 . Moreover, similar to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 23 , the abutment member  301  is configured as a block and is under the lower slider member  1900  when the upper slider member  201  is at the uppermost position. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.