Patent Publication Number: US-10780013-B1

Title: Assistive cane and reach extension combination device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to mobility aids and more particularly pertains to a new mobility aid for improved stability and reach. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to mobility aids. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a shaft. A handle that is coupled to and extends from an upper end of the shaft is configured to be grasped in a hand of a user, positioning the shaft to transfer a load from the handle to a surface upon which the user is positioned. A bar that is hingedly coupled to the shaft proximate to the handle is selectively positionable in a stowed configuration, wherein the bar is substantially parallel to the shaft, and a deployed configuration, wherein the bar is selectively positionable transversely to the shaft. In the deployed configuration the bar and the shaft are configured to insert an article. An actuator that is coupled to the shaft is operationally coupled to the bar so that the actuator is positioned to selectively motivate the bar toward the shaft to grasp the article. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order 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. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric perspective view of an assistive cane and reach extension combination device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new mobility aids embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the assistive cane and reach extension combination device  10  generally comprises a shaft  12  that is hollow. The shaft  12  is at least one of circularly shaped and squarely shaped when viewed longitudinally. A handle  14  is coupled to and extends from an upper end  16  of the shaft  12 . The handle  14  is configured to be grasped in a hand of a user, positioning the shaft  12  to transfer a load from the handle  14  to a surface upon which the user is positioned. The handle  14  extends perpendicularly and bidirectionally from the shaft  12  to define a forward section  18  and a rearward section  20  of the handle  14 . 
     A cutout  22  extends into a lower face  24  of the handle  14  in the forward section  18 . The cutout  22  is configured to insert a digit of the hand of the user that is grasping the handle  14  to enhance a grasp of the hand upon the handle  14 . 
     A bar  26  that is hingedly coupled to the shaft  12  proximate to the handle  14  is selectively positionable in a stowed configuration, wherein the bar  26  is substantially parallel to the shaft  12 , and a deployed configuration, wherein the bar  26  is selectively positionable transversely to the shaft  12 . In the deployed configuration, the bar  26  and the shaft  12  are configured to insert an article. 
     The bar  26  comprises a first segment  28 , a second segment  30 , and a third segment  32 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The first segment  28  is flush to and is coupled to the shaft  12 . The second segment  30  is coupled to and extends transversely from the first segment  28 . The third segment  32  is coupled to and extends transversely from the second segment  30  distal from the first segment  28  so that the third segment  32  is substantially parallel to the shaft  12  when the bar  26  is in the deployed configuration. 
     In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the bar  26  comprises spring steel so that the bar  26  is tensioned in the stowed configuration. In another embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , a hinge  34  is coupled to the shaft  12  and the bar  26  is coupled to the hinge  34 . A coiled spring  36  is coupled to and extends between the shaft  12  and the bar  26  so that the coiled spring  36  is tensioned when the bar  26  is in the stowed configuration and thus positioned to rebound to extend the bar  26  to the deployed configuration. 
     An actuator  38  that is coupled to the shaft  12  is operationally coupled to the bar  26  so that the actuator  38  is positioned to selectively motivate the bar  26  toward the shaft  12  to grasp the article. 
     The actuator  38  comprises a trigger  40 , a pulley  42 , and a cable  44 , as shown in  FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 6 . The trigger  40  comprises a first section  46 , which is slidably positioned in the shaft  12 , and a second section  48  that extends perpendicularly from the first section  46  through a slot  50  in the shaft  12  so that the second section  48  is proximate to the handle  14 . The pulley  42  is coupled to and is positioned in the shaft  12  proximate to a hole  52  that is positioned in the shaft  12 . The cable  44  is coupled to and extends between the first section  46  of the trigger  40  and the bar  26 . The cable  44  is positioned around the pulley  42  and through the hole  52  so that the cable  44  is positioned to motivate the bar  26  toward the shaft  12  as the trigger  40  is motivated toward the handle  14 . 
     A locking means  54  that is coupled to the shaft  12  is operationally coupled to the trigger  40  so that the locking means  54  is positioned to selectively fix the bar  26  in the stowed configuration, and also selectively in positions between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration. 
     The locking means  54  may comprise a plurality of notches  56  that is positioned in the first section  46  of the trigger  40 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . A plate  58  is coupled to the shaft  12  proximate to the slot  50 . A tooth  60  is coupled to and extends from the plate  58  into the slot  50  so that the tooth  60  is selectively positionable in a respective notch  56  to fixedly position the bar  26  relative to the shaft  12 . A button  62 , which is depressible and operationally coupled to the tooth  60 , is configured to be selectively depressed to extract the tooth  60  from the respective notch  56  so that the bar  26  is hingable relative to the shaft  12 . The locking means  54  may comprise other means of selectively fixing the bar  26  relative to the shaft  12 , such as, but not limited to, a spring-loaded pin and holes in the first section  46  of the trigger  40 , sleeves around the shaft  12 , and the like. 
     A recess  64  extends into the lower face  24  of the handle  14  in the rearward section  20  so that the second section  48  of the trigger  40  is at least partially nested in the recess  64  when the bar  26  is in the stowed configuration. 
     A pair of pads  66  is coupled singly to the shaft  12  proximate to a lower end  68  of the shaft  12  and to the bar  26  distal from the shaft  12  so that the pads  66  are in substantial abutment when the bar  26  is in the stowed configuration. The pads  66  are resiliently compressible and are configured to enhance a grasp of the shaft  12  and the bar  26  upon the article. The pads  66  comprise at least one of rubber, silicone, and elastomer. 
     A ferrule  70  is coupled to the lower end  68  of the shaft  12 . The ferrule  70  is resiliently compressible and is configured to enhance traction of the shaft  12  on the surface. The ferrule  70  comprises at least one of rubber, silicone, and elastomer. 
     In use, the device  10  is utilized by the user as an assistive cane. When extended reach is required, the user is positioned to push the button  62  so that the bar  26  extends to the deployed configuration. The user then positions the article between the shaft  12  and the bar  26  and pulls the trigger  40  toward the handle  14  to grasp the article. The user releases the button  62  when the article is grasped between the shaft  12  and the bar  26  and pushes the button  62  again to release the article. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.