Patent Publication Number: US-2005139245-A1

Title: Cane accessory

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to canes, and more particularly, to a cane accessory.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Canes have been used for a number of years to assist individuals for walking. With the general aging of the population, the use of canes is becoming more wide spread.  
      Traditionally, canes have ranged from a simple rod like member having some form of handle at one end thereof, to more ornate arrangements. As is the case with everything else, certain individuals like to be fashionable and have a cane which coordinates, in a fashion sense, with other clothing or the like. To date, this necessitated buying a plurality of canes.  
      Apart from the aesthetic part of view, and particularly with very ornate canes, it is sometimes desirable to have some protection for the cane in cases of very inclement weather and the like.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a cane accessory which can function both as protection for the cane and to accessorize the same.  
      According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a cover for a cane comprising a piece of a flexible sheet material, the piece of flexible sheet material having first and second longitudinally extending sides and first and second transversely extending sides such that the flexible sheet material has an overall rectangular configuration, the first and second longitudinally extending sides being secured together to thereby define a tubular sheath, the tubular sheath having an opening at either end thereof; and securement means located at one end of the sheath for securing the sheath in position on a cane.  
      According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided, in combination, a cane having a longitudinally extending shaft and a handle portion at an upper end thereof, and a cane cover, the cane cover comprising a piece of flexible sheet material, the piece of flexible sheet material being a tubular sheath, the tubular sheath extending over said longitudinally extending portion of the cane, and securement means located at an upper end of the sheath for securing the sheath to the cane.  
      The cane accessory of the present invention is formed from a sheet of material which is preferably rectangular in configuration. The piece of sheet material than has two longitudinally extending side secured together so as to form a tubular sheath. The sheath is characterized by having a substantially uniform diameter and being open at both ends thereof.  
      The sheet material utilized for the cane accessory of the present invention may be any suitable and is preferably formed of a flexible material. Thus, materials such as various plastics and textiles may be employed. As the cane accessory is arranged to have aesthetic appeal, a suitable textile fabric is a preferred material.  
      When formed of a textile fabric, the transversely extending edges are preferably hemmed in a manner similar to the longitudinally extending edges. For ease of insertion of the cane, preferably the longitudinal side edges are not fully secured along their length, but rather at the upper portion are left unsecured for a short distance—this distance typically will be between 3 and 10 centimetres.  
      In order to secure the accessory in position, there is provided securing means located proximate the upper opening of the sheath. A number of different securing means may be used including various mechanical fastening means. The means for securing the sheath in position may include cooperative means on the cane and the sheath. However, a preferred arrangement is one wherein there is provided a drawstring located at the upper portion such that the drawstring may be tightened to secure the sheath in place. As is known in the art, various devices may be employed for keeping the drawstring in a closed position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cane accessory according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  showing a cane having the cane accessory thereon;  
       FIG. 3  is a partial side elevational view of the top and bottom portions of the cane and cane accessory of  FIG. 2 ; and  
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along the lines of  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters thereto, there is illustrated a can accessory generally designated by reference numeral  10 .  
      Cane accessory  10  comprises a tubular sheath  12  having a first longitudinally extending side  14  and a second longitudinally extending side  16 . There is also provided an upper transversal side  18  and a lower transversal side  20  such that the tubular sheath  12 , before being secured together, has a generally rectangular configuration. Each of the sides is preferably hemmed as is indicated by reference numeral  22  for the upper transversal side  18 .  
      At the upper portion, the hem is arranged such as to provide an interior channel  24  which is designed to receive a drawstring  26 . Drawstring  26  has free ends  28  and  30  which are threaded through a retainer generally designated by reference numeral  32 .  
      Retainer  32  is of the well known type wherein a plunger  34  is biased by a spring such that when plunger  34  is depressed, the drawstring may be loosened or tightened while release of the plunger  34  locks the drawstring in place.  
      In use, the cane accessory  10  is designed to be used with a cane, as shown in  FIG. 2 , having a shaft  38 , an upper handle  40  and a bottom member  42 . The tubular sheath  12  is preferably of a flexible fabric material. It will be noted that there is provided a slit  44  at the upper portion where sides  14  and  16  are not secured together.  
      It will be understood that the above described embodiment is for purposes of illustration only and that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.