Abstract:
An ice cleat designed to fit slidably onto the finger of a retrieving tip for a cane, crutch, walking stick or the like, without use of tools to provide the walking aid user with anti-skid protection on icy or snow covered surfaces.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/965,730 Filed Feb. 7, 2014 by this applicant. 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     not applicable 
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
     not applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     Prior Art 
     The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant regarding retrieving tip ice cleats for canes, crutches, walking sticks or the like. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. PATENTS 
               
             
          
           
               
                 PAT. NO. 
                 ISSUE DATE 
                 PATENTEE 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 4,299,246 
                 Nov. 10, 1981 
                 John W. K. Marsh 
               
               
                 4,411,284 
                 Oct. 25, 1983 
                 Eric J. Opitz 
               
               
                 4,434,808 
                 Mar. 6, 1984 
                 Mark G. Burak 
               
               
                 4,964,430 
                 Oct. 23, 1990 
                 William F. Janis 
               
               
                 5,377,710 
                 Jan. 3, 1995 
                 Jay M. Laser 
               
               
                 5,640,985 
                 Jun. 24, 1997 
                 Kent Snyder et.al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     PRIOR ART 
     The use of canes, crutches, walking sticks and the like among the elderly or others afflicted by illness or injury is well known. A recent patent search has disclosed a number of devices useful with walking aids to retrieve objects from a walking surface and or to provide an anti-slip device at the walking aid tip. However, none of the searched patents incorporated an anti-slip ice cleat designed specifically for a retrieving tip as shown in Prior Publication Data U.S. 2014/0360544 published Dec. 11, 2014. 
     One prior art device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,246 by Marsh. This device describes a cane with a retrieving device contained within the hollow shaft of the cane. This is a retrieving cane, but does not fit the description of a retrieving tip. It does not contain any information on the availability of an ice cleat attachment to fit that device or to attach to a retrieving tip finger. 
     Another prior art shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,284 by Opitz consists of a cane without a retrieving device. It lacks any information about how this ice cleat attachment could possibly fit onto a retrieving tip finger without considerable alterations and not interfere with the operation of a retrieving tip. 
     Another prior art device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,808 by Burak describes a cane with trigger actuated non-skid pins located at the tip of a cane. This device would not be suitable as an attachment onto a retrieving tip. Burak does not teach how that mechanism could possibly be self-contained on a retrieving tip. 
     Still other prior art shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,430 by Janis describes an ice gripper attachment to a walking aid secured to the tip by mechanical means. This attachment as installed onto a retrieving tip would inhibit the retrieving function of the tip unless removed with the use of tools. Additionally, the asymmetry of a retrieving tip may prevent use of this device on walking aids. 
     Prior art shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,710 by Laser displays and ice tip cleat that fits over a crutch tip and held by elastic bands or metal straps attached to the crutch shaft by fasteners. This cleat is not designed to attach to a retrieving tip since the bands or straps are secured to the crutch shaft. The band securing bracket would not allow the user of a retrieving tip access to the finger mechanism unless the band was removed from the crutch shaft. This does not fulfill the intended requirement of an ice cleat for a retrieving tip. 
     Another prior art shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,985 by Snyder shows a retrieving cane with finger but does not reveal availability of an ice cleat or grabber to fit onto the finger of a retrieving tip. 
     A market search reveals a “5 cleat ice pick for canes and crutches” available at most hospital supply stores. This device fastens by mechanical means onto the shaft of a cane or crutch above the existing tip. This device contains an ice pick attached to a moveable arm that can swing down to place the ice pick against the contacting surface of the tip. This device if used on a retrieving tip would limit access to a retrieving tip knob and not fulfill the requirement for an ice cleat to fit onto a retrieving tip. 
     SUMMARY 
     A search of U.S. Patents by this applicant has not disclosed an ice cleat specifically designed to fit onto the finger of a retrieving tip for a cane, crutch, walking stick or the like. 
     Advantages 
     The ice cleat designed to fit onto the finger of a retrieving tip provides the tip with an additional use for icy surfaces, aside from its original design function of retrieving items from a walking surface and providing an anti-slip contacting surface. The ice cleat is easily installed without use of tools, does not use brackets, levers or cables or contribute significantly to the walking aid tip weight. The ice cleat does not present a potentially hazardous condition to the user or others. 
    
    
     
       FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an assembled ice cleat for a retrieving tip. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of an assembled ice cleat. 
         FIG. 3  is an end view of an assembled ice cleat. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of an assembled retrieving tip. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional elevation view of an assembled retrieving tip with ice cleat installed onto finger. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional elevation view of an assembled retrieving tip with ice cleat installed onto finger. 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of an ice cleat formed of a single piece of metal 
     
    
    
     DRAWING 
     Reference Numbers 
     
         
           10 . Body 
           12 . Disk 
           14 . Teeth 
           16 . Tube 
           18 . Knob 
           20 . Finger 
           22 . Finger Recess 
           26 . Socket 
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     First Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  is an illustration of an isometric view of an assembled ice cleat designed to fit slidably onto a retrieving tip finger  20  as shown in “ FIG. 5 . The ice cleat consists of a metal disk  12  preferably of a non-corrosive material such as stainless steel, galvanized steel, Bronze, tempered aluminum or materials known to those familiar with the art. Disk  12  is shown with its diameter proximate the diameter of the body  10  segment at the tip contacting surface entered on the socket  26  axis. Disk  12  may be die cut of metal and formed into a single piece to include a predetermined number of teeth  14  of predetermined length, in a predetermined arrangement. Disk  12  may also be shaped to fit the asymmetrical body  10  at the contacting surface of the retrieving tip. 
     Tube  16  may be metal, preferably of a non-corrosive material such as stainless steel, brass or as known to those familiar in the art. Tube  16  shall be of dimension and shape to fit slidably onto the retrieving tip finger  20  of the same dimension and shape, and with length to fit within the finger recess  22 . Tube  16  may be attached to disk  12  by welding, soldering, cementing or as known to those familiar in the arts. Tube  16  may also be formed as a hat section and attached by spot welding or other previously mentioned means to disk  12 . Ice cleat materials shall be of thickness, hardness and strength to withstand forces anticipated in the normal use of a walking aid. 
     Other embodiments may include a metal disk  12  with welded, brazed, cast or soldered teeth  14  of a predetermined number, length and arrangement. Disk  12  may also be formed with contained teeth  14  and tube  16  of plastic, resin, or other like materials by injection molding, casting or other means known by those familiar in the art. 
     Still another embodiment includes an ice cleat formed of a single piece of metal to include disk  12 , tube  16  and teeth  14  by die cutting and forming into a shape similar to  FIG. 7 . The ice cleat in this embodiment would allow the cleat to be placed onto the retrieving tip finger  20  rather than slide on. 
     Operation 
     The ice cleat is designed specifically for use with a retrieving tip such as (Publication No. U.S. 2014/0360544). The user prepares the tip for receiving the ice cleat by moving the finger out of its recess by pressing the knob with hand or foot in a direction to move the finger out of the tip recess to lower the finger below the contacting surface. With the finger lowered, the ice cleat tube is then slid onto the finger until it contacts the bend of the finger. The user then moves the finger with attached ice cleat tube into the finger recess by reversing the direction of the knob using hand force. 
     An optional method of moving the finger and ice cleat tube into the recess would be to place the ice cleat teeth against the walking surface and push down on the walking aid, forcing the ice cleat tube into the finger recess and placing the disk against the contact surface of the retrieving tip. The ice cleat is now properly installed. Removal of the ice cleat would require lowering the finger as previously mentioned, removing the ice cleat and returning the finger to the recess. A retrieving tip may have multiple extensions of the finger in the plane of the parallel to the plane of the contact surface beyond the perimeter of the tip. Those extensions may also be used to move the finger out or into the finger recess by foot. 
     An optional ice cleat shown in  FIG. 7  is designed to be placed onto a lowered finger of a retrieving tip without sliding.