Patent Publication Number: US-9414656-B1

Title: Cane with extendable spikes

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of canes are known in the prior art. However, what has been needed is a cane having a curved handle, a shaft, a hollow inner casing, a U-shaped outer casing, an aperture continuously disposed from a top surface of the handle to an internal surface of the inner casing, an activation control disposed within a top side of the aperture, a rod continuously disposed within the aperture, a locking mechanism, an internal tension spring, a horizontal plate disposed within the inner casing, a ferrule, a plurality of openings, a plurality of spikes, and a plunger. What has been further needed is for the activation control to engage the rod. Lastly, what has been needed is for the activation control to slidingly engage the spring, the locking mechanism, the rod, the plunger, the plate, and the plurality of spikes when the activation control is in a depressed position, or alternately an extended position. The plurality of spikes is configured to extend below the ferrule base edge when the activation control is in the depressed position. One of each of the plurality of spikes is configured to be fully disposed within one of each of the openings when the activation control is in the extended position. Thus, the cane with extendable spikes provides a user with optimal stability on slippery surfaces in order to prevent injuries and falls. Rather than require a user to install a separate traction device on his or her cane, the cane with extendable spikes allows a user to easily adjust the cane depending on the surface conditions. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to canes, and more particularly, to a cane with extendable spikes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present cane with extendable spikes, described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a cane which has many novel features that result in a cane with extendable spikes which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. 
     To accomplish this, the present cane with extendable spikes comprises a cane having a curved handle and a shaft. The shaft has a top end and a bottom end. The handle has a top surface, a bottom surface, a right side, and a left side. A hollow inner casing is medially disposed on the bottom end of the shaft. The inner casing has a right area, a left area, an upper area, and a lower area. Each of the right area, the left area, the upper area, and the lower area has an external surface and an internal surface. A U-shaped outer casing is continuously disposed on each of the external surface of the left area, the right area, and the lower area of the inner casing. The outer casing has a right edge, a left edge, and a bottom edge. Each of the right edge, the left edge, and the bottom edge has an exterior surface. 
     An aperture is continuously disposed from the top surface of the handle proximal the left side to the internal surface of the upper area of the inner casing. The aperture has a top side and a bottom side. An activation control is disposed within the top side of the aperture. The activation control has a top area and a bottom area. A rod is continuously disposed within the aperture from the bottom area of the activation control to the bottom end of the shaft. The rod has an upper end, a lower end, an external area, and an internal area. The activation control engages the rod. A locking mechanism is disposed on the bottom area of the activation control. The locking mechanism is continuously disposed around the external area of the rod proximal the upper end of the rod. The locking mechanism has an upper surface and a lower surface. An internal tension spring is continuously disposed around the external area of the rod from the lower surface of the locking mechanism to the top end of the shaft. A horizontal plate is disposed within the inner casing. The plate has an upper edge and a lower edge. A plunger has a top half and a bottom half. Each of the top half and the bottom half has a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion of the top half is disposed on the lower end of the rod. The bottom portion of the bottom half is disposed on the upper edge of the plate. The bottom half is disposed within the inner casing. 
     The cane with extendable spikes further comprises a ferrule having an exterior area, an interior area, and a base edge. The interior area of the ferrule is continuously disposed on the exterior surface of each of the right edge, the left edge, and the bottom edge of the outer casing. The ferrule is optionally rubberized. A plurality of openings is disposed from the internal surface of the lower area of the inner casing to the exterior area of the base edge of the ferrule. A plurality of spikes is attached to the lower edge of the plate. One of each of the plurality of spikes is continuously disposed through one of each of the plurality of openings. The plurality of spikes is optionally steel. 
     The activation control has a depressed position and an alternate extended position. The activation control is in the depressed position when the activation control is fully disposed within the aperture. The activation control is in the extended position when the top area of the activation control is disposed above the top side of the aperture. The activation control slidingly engages the spring, the locking mechanism, the rod, the plumber, the plate, and the plurality of spikes. The plurality of spikes is configured to extend below the base edge of the ferrule when the activation control is in the depressed position. One of each of a plurality of spikes is configured to be fully disposed within one of each of the plurality of openings when the activation control is in the extended position. 
     Thus has been broadly outlined the more important features of the present cane with extendable spikes so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         FIG. 1  is a front isometric view. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view. 
         FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2  showing the activation control in an extended position. 
         FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2  showing the activation control in a depressed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 through 4B  thereof, an example of the instant cane with extendable spikes employing the principles and concepts of the present cane with extendable spikes and generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4B , the present cane with extendable spikes  10  is illustrated. The cane with extendable spikes  10  comprises a cane  20  having a curved handle  22  and a shaft  24 . The shaft  24  has a top end  26  and a bottom end  28 . The handle  22  has a top surface  30 , a bottom surface  32 , a right side  34 , and a left side  36 . A hollow inner casing  38  is medially disposed on the bottom end  28  of the shaft  24 . The inner casing  38  has a right area  40 , a left area  42 , an upper area  44 , and a lower area  46 . Each of the right area  40 , the left area  42 , the upper area  44 , and the lower area  46  has an external surface  48  and an internal surface  50 . A U-shaped outer casing  52  is continuously disposed on the external surface  48  of each of the left area  42 , the right area  40 , and the lower area  46  of the inner casing  38 . The outer casing  52  has a right edge  54 , a left edge  56 , and a bottom edge  58 . Each of the right edge  54 , the left edge  56 , and the bottom edge  58  has an exterior surface  60 . 
     An aperture  62  is continuously disposed from the top surface  30  of the handle  22  proximal the left side  36  to the internal surface  50  of the upper area  44  of the inner casing  38 . The aperture  62  has a top side  64  and a bottom side  66 . An activation control  68  is disposed within the top side  64  of the aperture  62 . The activation control  68  has a top area  70  and a bottom area  72 . A rod  74  is continuously disposed within the aperture  62  from the bottom area  72  of the activation control  68  to the bottom end  28  of the shaft  24 . The rod  74  has an upper end  76 , a lower end  78 , an external area  80 , and an internal area  82 . The activation control  68  engages the rod  74 . A locking mechanism  84  is disposed on the bottom area  72  of the activation control  68 . The locking mechanism  84  is continuously disposed around the external area  80  of the rod proximal the upper end  76  of the rod  74 . The locking mechanism  84  has an upper surface  86  and a lower surface  88 . An internal tension spring  90  is continuously disposed around the external area  80  of the rod  74  from the lower surface  88  of the locking mechanism  84  to the top end  26  of the shaft  24 . A horizontal plate  92  is disposed within the inner casing  38 . The plate  92  has an upper edge  94  and a lower edge  96 . A plunger  98  has a top half  100  and a bottom half  102 . Each of the top half  100  and the bottom half  102  has a top portion  104  and a bottom portion  106 . The top portion  104  of the top half  100  is disposed on the lower end  78  of the rod  74 . The bottom portion  106  of the bottom half  102  is disposed on the upper edge  94  of the plate  92 . The bottom half  102  is disposed within the inner casing  38 . 
     The cane with extendable spikes further comprises a ferrule  108  having an exterior area  110 , an interior area  112 , and a base edge  114 . The interior area  112  of the ferrule is continuously disposed on the exterior surface of each of the right edge  54 , the left edge  56 , and the bottom edge  58  of the outer casing  52 . A plurality of openings  116  is disposed from the internal surface  50  of the lower area  46  of the inner casing  38  to the exterior area  110  on the base edge  114  of the ferrule  108 . A plurality of spikes  118  is attached to the lower edge  96  of the plate  92 . One of each of the plurality of spikes  118  is continuously disposed through one of each of the plurality of openings  116 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the activation control  68  has a depressed position and an alternate extended position.