Patent Publication Number: US-6220262-B1

Title: Rod-shaped tool

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a rod-shaped tool which a user can grip and use, and more particularly to a rod-shaped tool such as a walking stick and an umbrella used on the occasion of going out and walking. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A walking stick and an umbrella are widely used generally in a daily life. Particularly, the aged and the physically handicapped frequently use walking sticks on the occasion of going out. Further, a stick is historically old and has been widely used in a daily life all over the world. 
     Such a walking stick and an umbrella are very hard to be leant against a wall, and, when they are leant against the wall, they frequently lose their balance and fall down even due to a slight vibration. This is because the conventional walking stick or umbrella is very ill balanced since its grip portion gripped by the user, substantially formed in a J-shape, has only a limited point which is brought into contact with the wall surface. 
     Further, when the grip portion of the walking stick or the umbrella are hooked on a shelf at a predetermined height from a floor or a ground, there has frequently occurred the case of being ill balanced and easily losing their balance, thereby falling down. This is because the grip portion formed in a J-shape cannot absorb a swing motion in a widthwise direction in addition that the contact portion in the grip portion is very small. 
     As mentioned above, when the walking stick or the umbrella falls down on the ground or the floor, the user must bend greatly forward or bend his or her knees greatly in order to pick up the walking stick or the umbrella. 
     It has been hard together with a great pain when occasion demands for an aged person with physical handicap, a physically handicapped person or a person having a pain in his or her lower back to greatly bend forward or greatly bend his or her knees so as to pick up the walking stick or the umbrella falling down on the ground or the floor. 
     Further, when such a walking stick or an umbrella falls down in a street traffic, the user must bend greatly down or bend his or her knees in the traffic in order to pick up the walking stick or the umbrella. The aged and the physically handicapped, however, have difficulty in performing such behaviors rapidly. Accordingly, when they collide with a passenger, they are likely to fall down, and are injured thereby. 
     Still further, for a person who does not have handicap, it is very troublesome to pick up the walking stick or the umbrella falling down on the floor or the ground by bending down. 
     Furthemore, though there have been some idea which prevent the walking stick or the umbrella from falling down easily thus far, there has been no idea of making it possible for the user to grip the walking stick or the umbrella fallin down in an upright stance without bending down. 
     Accordingly, an object of the invention as claimed in claim  1  is to make it possible for the user to easily pick up a rod-shaped tool such as walking stick or the umbrella falling down on the ground or the floor nearly in an upright stance without bending forward by bending down or bending his or her knees. 
     Further, an object of the invention as claimed in claim  2  is to provide a rod-shaped tool wherein a tip portion stands up from the ground or the floor by pressing a grip portion to the ground or the floor, thereby being easily gripped by a hand. 
     Still further, an object of the invention as claimed in claim  3  is to provide a rod-shaped tool wherein a grip portion stands up from the ground or the floor by pressing a tip portion to the ground or the floor, thereby being easily gripped by a hand. 
     Furthermore, an object of the invention as claimed in claim  4  is to provide a rod-shaped tool wherein a grip portion is made to have a three-dimensional curve. 
     Moreover, an object of the invention as claimed in claims  9  to  10  is to provide a rod-shaped tool wherein a tip portion is made to have a three-dimensional curve. 
     Further, an object of the invention as claimed in claims  6  and  7  is to provide a rod-shaped tool which can stand at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees. 
     Still further, an object of the invention as claimed in claims  8  to  10  is to provide a rod-shaped tool which can deform a grip portion in various forms. 
     Furthermore, an object of the invention as claimed in claims  11  to  13  is to provided a walking stick which can be easily picked up by the user nearly in an upright stance without bending down or bending his or her knees even when the walking stick falls down. 
     Moreover, an object of the invention as claimed in claims  9  to  10  is to provided an umbrella which can be easily picked up by the user nearly in an upright stance without bending down or bending his or her knees even when the umbrella falls down. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to achieve the technical objects mentioned above, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  1 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool which a user can grip and use, having one end portion being apart from a predetermined surface and the other end portion being brought into contact with the surface in case of being placed thereon along its longitudinal direction; wherein said other end portion may be apart from the surface and stand up in the state that said one end portion side works as a fulcrum in case of being pressed towards the surface. 
     In this case, the rod-shaped tool indicates all the tools formed in a rod shape and used by a human, which are used in relation to a daily life and a work and further in circumstances other than these. Accordingly, for example, a walking stick and an umbrella are representative. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  1 , when the rod-shaped tool falls down on the ground or the floor, by pressing the one end portion to the ground or the floor, the one end portion becomes a fulcrum in accordance with a principle of a lever and the other end portion is apart from the ground or the floor and stands up. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  1 , even when a user lays down or drops down the rod-shaped tool on the ground or the floor, he or she can easily pick it up nearly in an upright stance without bending down or bending his or her knees. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  2 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool which a user can grip and use, comprising a rod-shaped shaft portion, a grip portion which is formed at one end portion of the rod-shaped shaft portion, and a tip portion which is formed at the other end portion of the rod-shaped shaft portion, wherein said grip portion is apart from a predetermined surface and said tip portion is brought into contact with the surface in case of being placed thereon along its longitudinal direction, and wherein said tip portion may be apart from the surface and stand up in the state that said grip portion side works as a fulcrum in case of being pressed towards the surface. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  2 , when the rod-shaped tool falls down on the ground or the floor, by pressing the grip portion to the ground or the floor, the grip portion becomes a fulcrum in accordance with a principle of a lever and the tip portion is apart from the ground or the floor and stands up. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  2 , the tip portion can stand up from the ground or the floor by pressing the grip portion to the ground or the floor so that the user can easily grip it with his or her hand. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  3 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool which a user can grip and use, comprising a rod-shaped shaft portion, a tip portion which is formed at one end portion of the rod-shaped shaft portion, and a grip portion which is formed at the other end portion of the rod-shaped shaft portion, wherein said tip portion is apart from a predetermined surface and said grip portion is brought into contact with the surface in case of being placed thereon along its longitudinal direction; and wherein said grip portion may be apart from the surface and stand up in the state that said tip portion side works as a fulcrum in case of being pressed towards the surface. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  3 , when the rod-shaped tool falls down on the ground or the floor, by pressing the tip portion to the ground or the floor, the tip portion becomes a fulcrum in accordance with a principle of a lever and the grip portion is apart from the ground or the floor and stands up. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  3 , the grip portion can stand up from the ground or the floor by pressing the tip portion to the ground or the floor so that the user can easily grip it with his or her hand. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  4 , said grip portion is formed substantially in a J-shape from side view thereof, and is provided with a first curved portion which is once twisted to one side perpendicular to an axis of said rod-shaped shaft portion at a predetermined angle and a second curved portion which continuously extends to the first curved portion and is twisted to the other side perpendicular to the axis at a predetermined angle. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  4 , the grip portion, which is apart from the predetermined surface in case of being placed thereon along its longitudinal direction, is contituted by the first curved portion which is once twisted to one side perpendicular to the axis of the rod-shaped shaft portion at a predetermined angle and the second curved portion which continuously extends to the first curved portion and is twisted to the other side perpendicular to the axis at a predetermined angle. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as recited in claim  4 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool wherein a grip portion has a three-dimensional curve. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  5 , said tip portion is formed substantially in a J-shape from side view thereof, and is provided with a first curved portion which is once twisted to one side perpendicular to an axis of said rod-shaped shaft portion at a predetermined angle and a second curved portion which continuously extends to the first curved portion and is twisted to the other side perpendicular to the axis at a predetermined angle. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  5 , the tip portion, which is apart from the predetermined surface in case of being placed thereon along its longitudinal direction, is contituted by the first curved portion which is once twisted to one side perpendicular to the axis of the rod-shaped shaft portion at a predetermined angle and the second curved portion which continuously extends to the first curved portion and is twisted to the other side perpendicular to the axis at a predetermined angle. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as recited in claim  5 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool wherein a tip portion has a three-dimensional curve. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  6 , said second curved portion is twisted at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees with respect to said rod-shaped shaft portion. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  6 , when the rod-shaped tool drops down on the ground or the floor, the rod-shaped shaft portion can be stood up at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees by pressing the second curved portion to the ground or the floor. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as recited in claim  6 , the user can easily grip the rod-shaped tool standing at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees nearly in an upright stance. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  7 , said second curved portion is twisted at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees with respect to said rod-shaped shaft portion. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  7 , when the rod-shaped tool drops down on the ground or the floor, the rod-shaped shaft portion can be stood up at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees by pressing the tip portion to the ground or the floor. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as recited in claim  7 , the user can easily grip the rod-shaped tool standing at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees nearly in an upright stance. 
     In accordance with the invention claimed in claim  8 , said grip portion is formed substantially in a trapezoidal shape in plan view. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  8 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool wherein the grip portion is formed substantially in a trapezoidal shape in plan view. 
     In accordance with the invention claimed in claim  9 , said grip portion is formed in a T-shape. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  9 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool wherein the grip portion is formed in a T-shape. 
     In accordance with the invention claimed in claim  10 , said grip portion is formed in an L-shape. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim  9 , there is provided a rod-shaped tool wherein the grip portion is formed in an L-shape. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claims  11  to  13 , said rod-shaped tool is formed as a walking stick used for walking. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claims  11  to  13 , there is provided a walking stick which the user can easily picked up nearly in an upright stance without bending down or bending his or her knees when it falls down on the ground or the floor. 
     In accordance with the invention as claimed in claims  9  to  10 , said rod-shaped tool is formed as an umbrella. 
     As a result, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claims  9  to  10 , there is provided an umbrella which the user can easily picked up nearly in an upright stance without bending down or bending his or her knees when it falls down on the ground or the floor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 2 is a lateral view showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 3 is a front view showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 4 is a lateral view showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick and corresponds to a schematic view which shows a state of standing the walking stick after falling down on a ground or a floor, 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are a lateral view and a front view, respectively, showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick and correspond to schematic views which show a state that the walking stick falls down on the ground or the floor, 
     FIG. 7 is a lateral elevational view showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick and corresponds to a schematic view which shows a state of being leant against a wall, 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick and corresponds to a schematic view which shows a state of being hooked on a shelf, 
     FIG. 9 is a lateral elevational view showing an embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick and corresponds to a schematic view which shows a state of being hooked on the shelf, 
     FIG. 10 is a lateral elevational view showing the other embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the other embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 12 is a front view showing the other embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is similarly applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 13 is a lateral view showing the other embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is similarly applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 14 is a side elevational view showing the other embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is similarly applied to a walking stick, 
     FIG. 15 is a side elevational view showing the other embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is similarly applied to a walking stick and corresponds to a schematic view which shows a state of standing the walking stick after falling down on the ground or the floor, and 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing the other embodiment in which a rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention is similarly applied to a walking stick and showing a state that the walking stick falls down on the ground or the floor. 
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     In order to explain the invention more particularly, the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a rod-shaped tool capable of being gripped and used by a user is formed as a walking stick  10 . 
     The walking stick  10  has a rod-shaped shaft portion  14 , a grip portion  15  formed at one end portion of the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  and a tip portion  16  formed at the other end portion of the rod-shaped shaft portion  14 . The walking stick  10  is structured such that when it is laid down and placed on a ground or a floor  11  along its longitudinal direction, a part  17  of the grip portion  15  is apart from the ground or the floor  11  and the tip portion  16  is brought into contact with the ground or the floor  11 . Therefore, when the grip portion  15  is pressed to the ground or the floor  11 , the grip portion  15  becomes a fulcrum and the tip portion  16  is apart from the ground or the floor  11  and stands up. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the grip portion  15  is formed substantially, in a J-shape in a plan view. The grip portion  15  is once twisted to a side perpendicular to an axis  18  of the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  at a predetermined angle, and is further continuously twisted to the other side perpendicular to the axis  18  at a predetermined angle. 
     Accordingly, a first curved portion  19  is formed along a predetermined length L by being once twisted perpendicularly to an extending direction of the grip portion  15  at the predetermined angle, and further a second curved portion  20  is continuously formed along a length L 1  slightly longer than that of the first curved portion  19  by being twisted oppositely to the first curved portion  19  at the predetermined angle perpendicularly to the extending direction of the grip portion  15 . 
     Accordingly, the first curved portion  19  and the second curved portion  20  are formed by being twisted in the direction opposite to each other. Therefore, the grip portion  15  forms a gentle S-shape as shown in FIG. 3 when the curved portions  19  and  20  are seen from the direction of the curved end  12  of the grip portion  15 , and as shown in FIG. 2, a terminal end  21  of the grip portion  15  is located slightly outward from the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  in lateral view of the grip portion  15 . 
     As a result, in the grip portion  15  of the walking stick  10  in accordance with the embodiment, the first curved portion  19  and the second curved portion  20  function as a balancer, and are structured such as to be capable of effectively absorbing a force generated by an oscillation in a direction perpendicular to the rod-shaped shaft portion  14 . Moreover, in accordance with the embodiment, the second curved portion  20  is structured such that an angle θ with respect to the axis  18  becomes about forty-five degrees. 
     An operation of the walking stick  10  in accordance with the embodiment will be described below. 
     During the use of the walking stick  10  in accordance with the embodiment, when the walking stick  10  drops down on the ground or the floor  11 , the user can pick up the walking stick  10  by stepping on the grip portion  15  with his or her foot so that the tip portion  16  stands up with making the grip portion  15  a fulcrum. 
     Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, when the walking stick  10  drops down with its curved portions  19  and  20  upward, the user can stamp down the curved portions  19  and  20  to the ground or the floor  11 ; for a gap is formed between the curved portions  19  and  20  and the ground or the floor  11 . 
     In this case, at first, the tip portion  16  begins to be apart from the ground or the floor  11  around the terminal end  21  as a fulcrum, so that the walking stick  10  begins to stand up with its tip portion  16 . 
     The standing movement of the walking stick  10  stops at a time when the curved end  12  touches the ground or the floor  11 ; however, as mentioned above, since the second curved portion  20  is structured in such a manner as to form an angle of forty-five degrees with respect to the rod-shaped shaft portion  14 , the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  stands up at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees around the curved end  12  as a fulcrum. 
     As a result, the user can easily grip the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  in an upright stance with his or her hand without bending down or bending his or her knees. 
     Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in case of hooking the walking stick  10  in accordance with the embodiment on the shelf  13  provided at a predetermined height from the ground or the floor  11  by its terminal end, as mentioned above, the first curved portion  19  and the second curved portion  20  serve as a balancer, and can effectively absorb an oscillation. 
     Accordingly, even in case of hooking the walking stick  10  on the shelf  13  temporarily, it is possible to effectively absorb an oscillation of the walking stick  10  generated at a time of hooking. As a result, in case of hooking the walking stick  10  at the grip portion  15 , the walking stick  10  can be stably hooked, thereby being prevented from dropping down. 
     Further, as shown in FIG. 7, in case of leaning the walking stick  10  against the wall  17 , since the first curved portion  19  and the second curved portion  20  are wholly formed in a substantially S-shape, the grip portion  15  can totally form a plurality of contact points to a surface of the wall  17 , so that the walking stick  10  can be more stably leant against the wall  17  compared with the conventional walking stick formed in a J-shape in plan view. 
     Still further, as mentioned above, since the grip portion  15  is totally formed in an S-shape and has the first curved portion  19  and the second curved portion  20 , in case that the user grips the grip portion  15 , a plurality of force points are formed in a thickness direction of the grip portion  15  so that the grip portion  15  is gripped more easily than the conventional art formed in a J-shape in plan view. As a result, since the walking stick  10  can be easily fixed, the user easily holds his or her body using the walking stick  10 . 
     In this case, in accordance with the embodiment mentioned above, the description is given as an example to the case that the first curved portion  19  once twisted at a predetermined angle to the one side perpendicular to the axis  18  of the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  and the second curved portion  20  continuously extending to the first curved portion  19  and twisted at a predetermined angle to the other side perpendicular to the axis  18  are provided in the grip portion  15 . The invention, however, is not limited to the embodiment mentioned above, and as shown in FIG. 10, the first curved portion  19  and the second curved portion  20  may be provided in the tip portion  16  of a walking stick  30 . 
     As mentioned above, in case that the first curved portion  19  and the second curved portion  20  are provided in the tip portion  16 , as is different from the embodiment mentioned above, the user can pick up the walking stick  30  by gripping the grip portion  15  with his or her hand when the walking stick  30  having fallen down on the ground or the floor  11  stands up. 
     Accordingly, in accordance with the embodiment, the user can pick up the walking stick  30  without dirtying his or her hand. 
     Further, the description is given to the case that the the grip portion  15  of the walking stick  10  mentioned above is formed substantially in a J-shape; however, the invention is not limited to the embodiment, and the grip portion  31  may be formed substantially in a trapezoidal shape in plan view as a walking stick  37  shown in FIG.  11 . 
     A grip portion  31  in accordance with the embodiment is formed substantially in a trapezoidal shape in plan view, and is connected to the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  in such a manner as to form an inverted trapezoidal shape. The rod-shaped shaft portion  14  mentioned above is fixed at a lower end portion of the grip portion  31  with a connecting portion  32 . 
     The grip portion  31  is, as shown in FIG. 13, provided with a grounded surface  34  which inclined so as to cut in a direction to the connecting portion  32  from a stamping surface  33 , which forms a front surface, toward a back surface  38 . The grip portion  31  is also provided with a grip surface  35  inclining to the connecting portion  32  so as to oppose to the grounded surface  34 . In this case, in accordance with the embodiment, an angle θ 1  between the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  and the grounded surface  34  is formed as approximately forty-five degrees. 
     Further, inclined portions  36  and  36 , both of which inclined at almost the same angle as that of the grip surface  35 , are formed on both end of the grip surface  35 , so that, as a whole, both of the lateral sides and the lower side of the stamping surface  33  are in a state of being beveled at a predetermined angle. 
     An operation of the walking stick  37  structured in the above manner will be described below. 
     During the use of the walking stick  37  in accordance with the embodiment, the grip portion  31  mentioned above is gripped. In this case, since the grounded surface  34  comprising the inclined surface mentioned above and the grip surface  35  provided in opposite to the grounded surface  34  are provided, fingers can easily go around the grip portion  31 , so that the user can easily grip. 
     Further, when the walking stick  37  falls down on the ground or the floor  11 , as shown in FIG. 15, the stamping surface  33  mentioned above is stamped toward a tip direction of the grip portion  31  by a foot. In this case, since a portion between the ground or the floor  11  and the grounded surface  34  is formed at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees, while the grounded surface  34  is grounded on the ground or the floor  11 , it stands up from the tip portion  16  and stands up from the ground or the floor  11  at about forty-five degrees. 
     Accordingly, in the same manner as the embodiment mentioned above, the user can easily grip the rod-shaped shaft portion  14  and can pick up the walking stick  37  in an upright stance without bending down or bending his or her knees. 
     In this case, as shown in FIG. 16, when the walking stick  37  falls down on the ground or the floor  11  with its grounded surface  34  upward, one side of the back surface  38  can be stamped and the walking stick  37  can be turned over so that the stamping surface  33  looks upward, and then the walking stick  37  stands up in accordance with the same procedure as those mentioned above. In this case, since the inclined portions  36  and  36  are formed in the grip portion  31 , it can be easily turned over. 
     Further, the aspect of the grip portion is not limited to the embodiments mentioned above, and may be formed in a T-shape or an L-shape. 
     Still further, in each of the embodiments mentioned above, the description is given to the case in which the invention is applied to the walking stick; however, the invention is not limited to the embodiments mentioned above, and the invention may be applied to an umbrella. 
     In case that a grip portion of the umbrella is, for example, formed substantially in a J-shape in a side surface as mentioned above and provided with a first curved portion once twisted at a predetermined angle to one side perpendicular to the axis of the rod-shaped shaft portion mentioned above and a second curved portion continuously extending to the first curved portion and twisted at a predetermined angle to the other side perpendicular to the axis, as mentioned above, the grip portion can be easily gripped and further, the first curved portion and the second curved portion constitute a plurality of hooking portions within the palm of the hand, so that the user can more firmly support the umbrella in comparison with the umbrella having the grip portion formed in a J-shape in plan view, which is generally and widely sold in case that a strong wind blows from various directions. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As mentioned above, the rod-shaped tool in accordance with the invention can be widely applied to a rod-shaped object which a human grips by a hand and uses in addition to a rod-shaped daily necessaries such as a walking stick and an umbrella used in a daily life.