Abstract:
The present area of technology provides a device that may releasably hold an elongated cylindrical object such as a walking cane, a crutch, or a pole in a fixed position. The device is removably attached to the walking cane itself by a pair of elongated straps and provides positive clamping means to hold the cane against a stationary structure. The device has a handle that opens the clamp, which is inserted onto a planar structure to firmly hold a walking cane in position. In one aspect of the technology, the device is suitable for use with walking canes of various diameters. The technology also provides a coating to aid in the retention of the walking cane and to prevent slippage of the walking cane while the cane is disposed through a cylindrical portion of the cane holder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to a device for releasably securing a cane, a crutch, a pole or other elongated cylindrical device that may exist or may come into existence in a fixed position. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Portable cane holders have consisted of devices that are attached to a cane and rely on the cane&#39;s center of gravity and balance to keep the cane in a secure position when held at the edge of a support such as a table. Examples of different types of cane holders can be found in U.S. Pat. No. D418,286 issued to Skeppstedt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,498 issued to issued to Van Meter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,330 issued to Anstead, U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,742 issued to Hunn, U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,7942 issued to Rotter, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,722 issued to Hutchinson. While these existing devices suit their intended purposes, the need remains for a device and method that provides for releaseably holding an elongated cylindrical device, a cane or a crutch in a fixed position. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present area of technology is directed to a device that may releasably hold a walking cane, a crutch, a pole, or other elongated cylindrical device that may exist or may come into existence in a fixed position. The device is removably attached to the walking cane itself, and provides positive clamping means by which the walking cane is held in a secure position against the edge of a table, the edge of a desk, the leg of a chair, or a similar structure. The cane holder remains on the walking cane during use and transport. When it is desired that the walking cane be secured to a structure, the clamp is removed from the walking cane and removably clamped to the structure. A pair of clamping straps are releasably bound together around the circumference of the walking cane so that the cane is held securely. Alternatively, the clamp may remain attached to the walking cane and the clamping straps are bound together around the leg of a table or a chair. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cane holder according to one aspect of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the cane holder according to another aspect of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a back perspective view of the cane holder shown in  FIG. 2  releasably attached to a cane according to an aspect of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a backside view of the cane holder shown in  FIG. 2  in an open position. 
       FIG. 5  is a top side view of the cane holder shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the handle for the cane holder shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the cane holder shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 8  is a back perspective view of the cane holder shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 9  is a is a perspective view of the cane holder shown in  FIG. 2  releasably attached to a cane according to an alternative aspect of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a clamping device to temporarily hold a walking cane in an easy-to-reach position for the walking cane owner. The device may have a clamping feature similar to that of a clothespin. A set of clamping jaws may be connected in an offset transverse manner to the clamping mechanism. When closed, the cane clamping jaws have a circular cutout that is sized to encircle a cane diameter and two substantially parallel walls that protrude out from the circular cutout and that are adapted to clamp to the edge of a table, the edge of a desk, the leg of a chair, or other suitable structure. The clamping device may be made of any rigid material such as metal or plastic. Rubber covers may be included to provide a more effective gripping surface and to protect both the surface of the cane and the surface of any structure to which the device may be clamped, such as a table or a desk. 
   The appealing features of the device are the convenience of the clamp, its ease of use, and its functional utility for providing ready access to a walking cane when its owner is seated nearby. 
   Now referring to the drawings as shown in  FIG. 1 , The device is defined as a cane holder  10  having a base  12  and a pair of elongated flexible straps  14 ,  16  each strap having a predefined length  18 ,  20 ; a uniform width  22 ,  24 ; and a uniform thickness  26 ,  28 . 
   In an alternative embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the cane holder  60  may be generally “L” shaped and have a separable base that forms a “C” shaped clamp  62 , a handle  64 , and a pair of elongated flexible straps that cooperate together to attach and release the cane holder from platforms with opposing spaced apart walls of varying widths such as but not limited to a platform, an edge of a table or a desk, or an other substantially uniform object with opposing spaced apart walls and having a width of less than a predefined distance. 
   The separable base  62  includes a first member  66  and a second member  68  that cooperate together to form a “C” shaped clamp  62 . The first member  66  may have a first interior wall  67  having an arcuate portion  70  and a planar portion  72 . The second member  68  may have a second interior wall  69  that compliments the first interior wall  67  of the first member and also has an arcuate portion  74  and a planar portion  76 . The first interior wall  67  of the first member mates with and cooperates with the second interior wall  69  of the second member to form a “C” shaped clamp  62 . The “C” shaped clamp  62  having a first planar end portion  72 , a second planar end portion  76 , and a cylindrical portion  77 . 
   The first planar end portion  72  and the second planar end portion  76  of the “C” shaped clamp form spaced apart parallel planar walls that extend outwardly in a radial direction from the cylindrical portion a predefined distance to form an opening in the cylindrical portion of the base. The opening ranges from a minimum distance to a maximum distance between the first planar end portion and the second planar end portion and is adapted to releasably attach to a platform or other substantially uniform object that has a width less than the maximum distance between first planar end portion and the second planar end portion. Alternatively, the “C” shaped clamp  62  is adapted to receive and secure an elongated cylindrically shaped device such as a cane. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the handle  64  has a first arm  86 , a second arm  88 , and a spring  90  that cooperate with each other to open and close the “C” shaped clamp. The first arm  86  of the handle is integrally formed with the first member of the base with the first member  66  of the base at a substantially 90-degree angle such that the first arm  86  of the handle is co-planar with the longitudinal axis of an elongated cylindrically shaped device when the base of the cane holder is removably attached to the elongated cylindrically shaped device. The corresponding second arm  88  of the handle is integrally formed with the second member  68  of the base at a 90-degree angle such that the second arm  88  of the handle is co-planar with the longitudinal axis of an elongated cylindrically shaped device when the base of the cane holder is removably attached to the elongated cylindrically shaped device. 
   The first and second arms  86 ,  88  of the handle each have an associated outer end  94 ,  110  respectively. Each of the first and second arms  86 ,  88  respectively extend a predefined distance from the first and second members respectively of the base to each of the associated first and second arm outer ends  94 ,  110 . In an embodiment of the invention, the first and second arms  86 ,  88  of the handle each have opposing first and second lateral surfaces  96 ,  98 ,  112 ,  114  and includes a third surface  100 ,  116  extending between the respectively opposing lateral surfaces and a fourth outer surface  102 ,  118  opposing the third surface  100 ,  116  and disposed between the opposing first and second lateral surfaces  96 ,  98 ,  112 ,  114 . The fourth outer surface  102 ,  118  of the first and second arms respectively each have an associated first planar portion  104 ,  120  parallel to the third surface  100 ,  116  having a predefined length and an associated second planar  106 ,  122  portion extending at a predefined dihedral angle  108 ,  124  from the associated first planar portion  104 ,  120  respectively to the associated third surface  100 ,  116 . 
   The fourth outer surface first planar portions  104 ,  120  associated with the first and second arms  86 ,  88  respectively each mate at an angle  126  with each of the fourth outer surface second planar portions  106 ,  122 . 
   The spring  80  operates as a biasing member between the first arm  86  and the second arm  88  to bias the “C” shaped clamp to grip a platform or other substantially uniform object with opposing spaced apart walls. 
   In an embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 7 , the spring may have a coiled portion  128 , a first clip  130 , and a second clip  132  that cooperate together to hold the first arm  86  of the handle to the second arm  88  of the handle and to bias the “C” shaped clamp. The coiled portion has a uniform predefined diameter  134  and a predefined length  136  that may be equal to the width of the first arm fourth outer surface of the handle. The first clip  130  is at the first end of the coiled portion, and the second clip  132  is at an opposing second end of the coiled portion. 
   The first and second clips  130 ,  132  of the spring are generally “L” shaped and each include an associated first linear element  138 ,  144  an associated second linear element  140 ,  146  parallel to the coiled portion and formed at a substantially 90 degree angle to each of the first elements respectively, and an associated third linear element  142 ,  148  parallel to the first element  138 ,  144  and formed at a substantially 90 degree angle to each of the second elements respectively  140 ,  146 . 
   The coiled portion  128  of the spring extends across the respective width of both the first and second arms  102 ,  118  along the dihedral angle  108 ,  124  formed between the fourth outer surfaces associated with the first and second arm first planar portions respectively. The first linear elements associated with the first and second clips respectively extend across an associated top of the first lateral surfaces associated with the first and second arms respectively to a predefined location on the associated third linear elements of the first and second clips respectively. The second linear element extends across the top of the associated third surfaces of the first and second arms respectively to a predefined location on the second lateral surfaces  96   112 . The third linear element  142  extends across a top of the associated second surfaces of the first and second arms respectively a predefined distance. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the elongated flexible straps  14 ,  16  may be permanently attached at predefined locations P 1 , P 2  on the respective first arm  86  and second arm  88  by clips or by other means that have or may come into existence. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, the separable base may be adapted to releasably attach to walking canes of varying diameter. The handle and the base cooperate together to permit the use of the cane holder with walking canes of different diameter ranging from a predefined minimum diameter to a predefined maximum diameter. 
   The diameter of the cylindrical portion is at a minimum when the clamp is closed so that the first end and the second end mate together and the “C” shaped clamp encircles an elongated cylindrically shaped device. The internal diameter is at a maximum when the “C” shaped clamp is open such that there is a maximum distance between the first and second end portions. 
   The spring of the handle operates as a biasing member between the first arm and the second arm to bias the “C” shaped clamp to grip an elongated cylindrically shaped device when the “C” shaped clamp encircles the elongated cylindrically shaped device. The spring may have a coiled portion, a first clip, and a second clip that cooperate together to hold the first arm of the handle to the second arm of the handle and bias the “C” shaped clamp. 
   In another embodiment of the technology as shown in  FIG. 1 , the base may be a “C” shaped clamp having a cylindrical portion  30 , a first open end portion  32  and a corresponding second open end portion  34 . The cylindrical portion  30  has an internal surface  36  and an external surface  38 . The cylindrical portion  30  has a predefined width  40  and an internal circumference adapted to encircle and retain an elongated cylindrically shaped device having a circumference less than that of the circumference of the cylindrical portion. The first open end portion  32  and the second open end portion  34  of the base have corresponding planar parallel surfaces  44 ,  46  that are spaced apart and form respective predefined angles  48 ,  50  with respect to the interior surface of the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion  30 , the first end portion  32 , and the second end portion  34  cooperate with each other to form the “C” shaped clamp that may firmly grasp a cane or other elongated cylindrically shaped device that may exist or come into existence. 
   The flexible straps  14 ,  16  may be permanently attached to the exterior surface of the base at predefined points  52 ,  54  by clips or other attachment means that may exist or may come into existence. Each strap having a predefined length  18 ,  20  and a predefined uniform width  22 ,  24 . The straps  14 ,  16  are flexible to fit snugly around the leg of a table, the leg of a chair, or some other stationary object  42  that could support an elongated cylindrical device in a fixed position. The straps may be flexible in order to fit around stationary objects of various sizes and shapes while holding an elongated cylindrical device firmly in place. Each flexible strap  14 ,  16  may be detachably fastened to the other strap by a fastener such as snaps, or hook and loop, or other fastening means that may exist or may come into existence. Alternatively, the flexible straps may be adapted to attach to the elongated cylindrical device. 
   In another embodiment of the technology as shown in  FIG. 7 , a coating  150  such as rubber or latex may be provided to cover the cylindrical portion of the base to aid in the retention of a cane or another elongated cylindrical device that exists or may come into existence disposed therethrough and to prevent slippage of the cane within the base. 
   A method of using the cane holder is also provided. In operation, the first outer end of the first arm of the handle and the second outer end of the second arm of the handle may be compressed together to move the arms transversely from a first position to a second position. The base opens in a complementary manner to the handle from the predefined minimum diameter to the predefined maximum diameter. The flexible straps attached at predefined points on the base may be fitted around stationary objects of various sizes and shapes while the base holds a walking cane, a crutch, or other elongated cylindrical device that may exist or may come into existence firmly in place. Each flexible strap may be detachably fastened to the other strap by a fastener such as snaps, or hook and loop, or other fastening means that may exist or may come into existence. 
   Alternatively in operation, the flexible straps may be fitted around and detachably fastened to the walking cane while the base grasps a table, a desk, or other substantially uniform object with opposing spaced apart walls and having a width less than the maximum distance between first planar end portion and the second planar end portion.