Patent Application
20070256993
This invention relates to holders for walking canes, and more particularly to a cane holder for securing a cane on or about the person of the user, but which allows the user to have free use of his or her hands when the cane is not in use, and wherein the cane is held on the person of the user within easy reach when needed.
Canes are often used for movement and support by aged, and permanently or temporarily handicapped individuals. These devices typically include a cylindrical support pole and a handhold structure. The size of the handhold structure remains relatively constant. The length of the support pole varies depending on the distance between user's hand, at extension, and foot; the support's diameter is relatively constant for all types of canes. The support may be hollow or solid.
In recent years, the number of persons who might require the assistance of a cane while walking has increased significantly. Such increase is due primarily to the gradual overall aging of the population, which in turn can be attributed in large degree to significant advances in medicine and generally improved living conditions. However, such medical advances have also allowed younger individuals suffering from particular maladies or who are partially incapacitated as a result of an accident or other happening, which persons might otherwise be incapable of walking or moving around at all, to regain at least some of their mobility more quickly than in the past with the assistance of a device such as a cane.
Although required for mobility, canes become unnecessary when the individual is, e.g., seated or reclined and, accordingly, must be stored by the user. During non-use canes may be stored by placing them against a wall or other surface within the proximity of the user. Canes placed in such positions, however, often slide on the wall surface, and fall to the ground making it difficult, if not awkward, for the user to retrieve the cane without some outside assistance. Therefore, although canes can be enormously effective in aiding one's mobility by partially transferring the user's weight from the legs to the arms as well as by steadying such person, in effect providing three legs rather than only two, most cane users also find that it is desirable to have a means for quickly and effectively temporarily storing such cane when it is not in use. For example, during times when the user is sitting down or in a resting position, the cane is not required to be used, but preferably should be stored within easy reach of the user for convenient retrieval when such cane is again required for use. However, often there is no convenient or practical place to store or rest the cane within easy reaching distance. If the cane is placed temporarily aside, older users not only may forget where it was placed, but the cane may be precariously placed, and when an attempt is made to recover it, frequently it will be just out of reach or may have been knocked down or over or may have slid to the floor where it can itself constitute a tripping hazard. People who have to use canes, often have no alternative but to try to balance their canes in a vertical position against the counter, and, more times than not, it falls to the floor. It is difficult to walk with a cane, without the added burden of bending over to retrieve it. In addition, many cane users do not have the ability, vision, or range of motion to easily walk, bend, or otherwise move to recover a cane which may have been resting against a wall and fallen to the floor, whereupon it may have become a tripping hazard or danger itself, not only to the user, but to others. Not infrequently, the cane user himself or herself may knock over a standing cane and then have difficulty in recovering it, or even be unable to recover it, from the floor. On the other hand, a cane user often does not wish to hold the cane when it is not required, as he or she wishes to have his or her hands free to perform other tasks, such as preparing food, opening medicine bottles, eating, writing, using the telephone, or sometimes the cane owner simply wants to rest without having to grasp the cane.
A cane holding device should preferably also be able to hold the cane clear of the floor while standing and relatively close to the owner and more or less upright when sitting in order to prevent a tripping hazard.
The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by a cane holder that is easily placed on a horizontal surface and will remain securely in place on that surface to support a cane in an upright orientation in a location that is convenient for the user.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.
The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a cane holder 10 which can be used by someone of limited dexterity to hold a cane in a location that is convenient for storage yet is out of the way and can be easily accessed by that person when necessary.
Cane holder 10 comprises a one-piece body 14 which can be formed of plastic or like material. Body 12 is one-piece so it can be easily manufactured and will still be strong and long lasting. Body 12 has a first surface 16 that is a top surface when the body is in use, a second surface 18 that is a bottom surface when the body is in use. The bottom surface will engage a supporting surface S, such as a table top or the like when the cane holder is in use. A thickness dimension 20 extends between the first surface and the second surface.
Body 14 further includes a first end 22 which is slightly arcuate as indicated by radius R in
A U-shaped slot 30 is defined in the body adjacent to the second end. U-shaped slot 30 accommodates a cane in a manner that will allow even a person with limited hand dexterity to easily and quickly move a cane into and out of the holder.
An adhesive coating 40 is located on the second surface adjacent to the first end. The adhesive coating is of the type that can be used numerous times. In some cases, a flexible pad will suffice, and the disclosure is intended to cover this situation as well. Therefore, the use of the term “adhesive” is not intended to be limiting.
Use of the cane holder of the present invention includes placing the body of the cane holder on a flat surface with the U-shaped slot extending over the edge of the surface. A cane is then inserted into the U-shaped slot. The adhesive on the bottom surface of the cane holder will securely maintain the holder in the desired position so the user can place his or her cane in a convenient location and then remove the cane when desired.
While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.
