Patent Application
20090223546
A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a cane, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a multi-function cane.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for canes have been provided in the prior art, which will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 8,346 to Hudson.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,346 issued to Hudson on Sep. 9, 1851 teaches a sword cane, including a shaft, a rod with a blade attached thereto and passing through the entire shaft and giving point beyond it, whether the rod be or be not connected with a spiral spring, to draw the blade back into the handle.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 16,761 to Tilton et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 16,761 issued to Tilton et al. on Mar. 3, 1857 teaches the combination of levers, a spring, and a bridle arranged and operating substantially for effecting simultaneous release of a trigger and removal of a muzzle-cover.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 1,624,591 to Fleming.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,624,591 issued to Fleming on Apr. 12, 1927 teaches a combination of a cane having a handle at right angles to the body thereof, and a blade pivoted at the joint of the handle and the body of the cane. The blade is adapted to be closed into the body of the cane and opened into alignment with the handle of the cane.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,371 to Bolen.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,371 issued to Bolen on Dec. 13, 1977 in class 135 and subclass 66 teaches a walking cane for use by the blind, and having a portion of the shank thereof adapted with a solar cell. Current produced by the cell recharges a battery stored within the hollow interior portions of the cane. A lamp is selectively energized by operating a control switch. The lamp provides illumination warning others of the disabled condition of the user. A buzzer, or other alerting device, is selectively included in the electrical circuit, which enables the user to test the successful illumination of the lamp.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,125 to Washizuka et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,125 issued to Washizuka et al. on Aug. 15, 1989 in class 364 and subclass 413.01 teaches an electronic cane having a grip and a stick. Inside of the grip there are sensors for sensing physical parameters of the surrounding environment and of the user of the cane. Predetermined maximum and minimum values of the parameters are programmed, and an alarm is activated if a parameter is outside of the range. Circuitry for performing these functions is in a retractable case. A panic button is also provided for.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,856 to Chi-Sheng.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,856 issued to Chi-Sheng on Mar. 24, 1992 in class 135 and subclass 72 teaches an electronic talking stick for the blind, and more particularly, to a stick, which talks to instruct a blind man to walk and go upstairs and downstairs, and to warn a blind man of a dangerous depression in a road, and which calls for help when a blind man who uses the stick falls. It generally includes a supporting rod, a control box, a handle, a free steering caster, and a horizontal scanning device, in which the free steering caster helps the whole assembly to slide. Two detectors in the control box, and a range finder and a moving object detector in the handle are arranged for trouble detection to let detected signals be converted into voice, by way of the processing through a control circuit, to instruct the user through an earphone connected to the handle.
Great Britain Application Publication Number GB2268057 published to Joseph on Jan. 5, 1994 in class A4P and subclass PAA P226 teaches a walking stick having an integral personal alarm. Two types of alarm systems may be used in suitably adapted walking sticks, preferably situated between the handle and the stick. One type is a gas-cylinder-powered alarm operated by finger pressure through an alarm control aperture in the side of the upper part of the stick. Another type is a battery-powered alarm being similarly operated by the finger. The alarm may be situated inside a suitable housing in the top of the stick.
(8) U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,618 to Ellis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,618 issued to Ellis on Oct. 26, 1999 in class 340 and subclass 990 teaches a portable safety mechanism housed in a cane, a walking stick, or a belt-carried housing. In each of these embodiments, the portable safety mechanism includes a processor, a transmitter, a receiver, an outside image sensor or scanner, and a warning device, such as an audible warning device or warning light. The scanner may, for example, sense the shape of a traffic signal or the color of a traffic signal.
(9) U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,786 to Davis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,786 issued to Davis on Jun. 8, 2004 in class 135 and subclass 65 teaches a walking aid with supplementary features being communicatively coupled to an integrated timepiece. The combination of the timepiece's intelligent circuitry and memory storage increases the functionality of the supplementary features integrated therein. The timepiece also records the use of the supplementary features for later use by the user.
(10) U.S. Pat. No. 6,774,795 to Eshelman et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,774,795 issued to Eshelman et al. on Aug. 10, 2004 in class 340 and subclass 573.1 teaches an electronic assistant incorporating electronic functions in a personal object that the user finds indispensable. Examples of personal objects include a cane, a walking stick, a walker, a wheelchair, a personal transportation vehicle, a purse, a key holder, a watch, a pendant, a hearing aid, an eyeglass frame, or a crutch. Electronics may include a PDA, a cell phone, a navigation module, a biosensor module, and an emergency-alert module. The navigation module might include a GPS, an altimeter, an electronic compass, and/or a stored map. Biosensors may be directly incorporated into the personal device or communicate with a receiver therein if the biosensor is required to be attached directly to the user's body or surgically implanted. The emergency alert module may include an emergency button, and an emergency notification sequence stored in the electronic assistant capable of calling for assistance through the cell phone.
Japanese Application Publication Number JP2004222859 published to Hiroyuki on Aug. 12, 2004 in class A45B3 and subclass 00 teaches a walking stick with a phonation function, including a main body of the walking stick having a phonetic functional circuit built-in, which is electrically connected to a main switch and a speaker connected to a battery when the switch is on to emit a voice to the surroundings. The phonetic functional circuit is electrically connected to a voice memory unit in which two or more standard messages are stored. Selection switches select a standard message stored in the voice memory unit by an operation from outside, and a controlling unit selectively reads out the standard message from the voice memory unit when the selection switch is on, and a voice reproduction unit to reproduce the voice based on a transmitted signal corresponding to standard message transmitted from the controlling unit so that the voice signal transmitted from the voice reproduction unit is emitted by the speaker.
Great Britain Application Publication Number GB2404144 published to Cuckson on Jan. 26, 2006 in class A4P and subclass PAA P206 teaches a walking stick, including a shaft and a handle, which can be engaged together via a threaded connection, including illumination apparatus disposed in the shaft seen from each side of the shaft. The handle houses the rechargeable batteries, a circuit board, a buzzer, and a charger socket for recharging the batteries on a docking port. The illumination apparatus operation is partly controlled by a light level detection sensor including a light-dependent resistor located at a front section of the handle. The threshold of light needed on the sensor to activate or deactivate the illumination apparatus is graduated by a variable resistor. Preferably, the circuit used to power the illumination apparatus requires the additional activation of a switch actuated by a lever when the user grips the handle in order to prevent battery discharge when the user is not using the stick. The illumination apparatus, preferably, includes an axially-disposed helical pattern of LED diode lights. The buzzer is activated to warn the user of a low battery level.
Japanese Application Publication Number JP2005052626 published to Satoshi et al. on Mar. 3, 2005 in class A61H and subclass 3/06 teaches a walking stick for a visually disabled person, which is composed of a grip part formed by connecting an upper frame and a lower frame, fitting a cap above a speaker cover held between the upper and lower frames and at the upper part of the upper and lower frames, and installing two switch buttons and an AC adapter on a back face, and a shaft part attached with a resin cover blended with a luminous material on the tip. The structure flashes a warning lamp by issuing a warning sound and voice in emergency by incorporating a voice generating circuit, an LED flashing circuit, and an E.L flashing circuit with a battery as a power source inside the grip part, and always emits the light from a walking-stick-body-tip part by allowing a walking-stick body to emit the light by one switch when necessary.
Great Britain Application Publication Number GB2415898 published to Mival on Jan. 11, 2006 in class A4P and subclass PAA P3230 teaches a walking stick including an elongate support member and a handle. The handle has a movement tracking device in the form of a pedometer, which can include an accelerometer to detect the amount of times the stick makes contact with the ground combined with a counter function for counting the number of times the stick is lifted and placed on the ground, hence producing an estimate for the number of steps. This count is programmed with the user's normal stride or with a user average in order to output an estimate of the distance covered. The handle can also house a heart-rate monitor having a sensor at least on one side of the handle. Both the tracking device or the heart-rate monitor output information to a display. The count calculation functions are provided by a rinted circuit board, and this is driven by a battery.
United States Application Publication Number 2007/0000531 published to Russo on Jan. 4, 2007 in class 135 and subclass 66 teaches a walking aid, including a vertical shaft, a housing member disposed at a bottom of the shaft, a plurality of vertical leg members extending downwardly relative to the housing member, an electrical component on the walking aid, and control circuitry for the electrical component disposed on the housing member.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for canes have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described.
Thus, an object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a multi-function cane, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
Briefly stated, another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a multi-function cane, including a cane body and functional devices. The functional devices are operatively connected to the cane body, and include, e.g, a battery interface, solar cells, a solar cell-activating switch, a power-level light, a lamp, a lamp-activating switch, an audible emergency alert, an alert-activating switch, GPS, a GPS-activating switch, a non-satellite radio, a non-satellite radio-activating switch, a TV, a TV-activating switch, a satellite radio, a satellite radio-activating switch, a panic alarm, a panic alarm-activating switch, biosensor readouts, a biosensor readout-activating switch, a traffic-signal shape and color sensor, a traffic-signal sensor-activating switch, a timepiece, a timepiece-activating switch, a PDA, a PDA-activating switch, a pedometer, a pedometer-activating switch, an accelerometer, an accelerometer-activating switch, a cell-phone, a cell-phone keypad, an audible message alert, a message alert-activating switch, an audible stairs/road depression alert, a stairs/road depression alert-activating switch, a system tester, and a system tester-activating switch.
The novel features considered characteristic of the embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The embodiments of the present invention themselves, however, both as to their construction and to their method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.
The sole FIGURE of the drawing is a combination diagrammatic side elevational view and block diagram of the multi-function walking cane of the embodiments of the present invention.
Referring now to the sole FIGURE, which is a combination diagrammatic side elevational view and block diagram of the multi-function walking cane of the embodiments of the present invention, the multi-function walking cane of the embodiments of the present invention is shown generally at 10.
The multi-function walking cane 10 comprises a cane body 12.
The multi-function walking cane 10 further comprises functional devices 14. The functional devices 14 are operatively connected to the cane body 12.
The functional devices 14 comprise, e.g., a battery interface 16. The battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14 is contained within the cane body 12, and is for holding batteries 18 for powering the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., solar cells 20. The solar cells 20 of the functional devices 14 are disposed on the cane body 12, and are in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14 for recharging the batteries 18.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a solar cell-activating switch 22. The solar cell-activating switch 22 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the solar cells 20 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a power-level light 24. The power-level light 24 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for indicating power level of the batteries 18.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a lamp 26. The lamp 26 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing illumination for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a lamp-activating switch 28. The lamp-activating switch 28 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the lamp 26 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., an audible emergency alert 30. The audible emergency alert 30 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing an emergency alert for use by the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., an alert-activating switch 32. The alert-activating switch 32 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the audible emergency alert 30 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., GPS 34. The GPS 34 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for locating the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a GPS-activating switch 36. The GPS-activating switch 36 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the GPS 34 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g, a non-satellite radio 38. The non-satellite radio 38 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing non-satellite radio listening for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a non-satellite-radio-activating switch 40. The non-satellite-radio-activating switch 40 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the non-satellite radio 38 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a TV 42. The TV 42 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing TV viewing for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a TV-activating switch 44. The TV-activating switch 44 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the TV 42 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a satellite radio 46. The satellite radio 46 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing satellite radio listening for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a satellite-radio-activating switch 48. The satellite-radio-activating switch 48 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the satellite radio 46 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a panic alarm 50. The panic alarm 50 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing an alarm when the user panics.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a panic-alarm-activating switch 52. The panic-alarm-activating switch 52 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the panic alarm 50 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., biosensor readouts 54. The biosensor readouts 54 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for monitoring health of the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a biosensor-readout-activating switch 56. The biosensor-readout-activating switch 56 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the biosensor readouts 54 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a traffic-signal shape and color sensor 58. The traffic-signal shape and color sensor 58 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for alerting a blind user of an upcoming traffic signal.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a traffic-signal-sensor-activating switch 60. The traffic-signal-sensor-activating switch 60 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the traffic-signal shape and color sensor 58 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a timepiece 62. The timepiece 62 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing time-of-day for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a timepiece-activating switch 64. The timepiece-activating switch 64 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the timepiece 62 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a PDA 66. The PDA 66 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing PDA use for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a PDA-activating switch 68. The PDA-activating switch 68 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the PDA 66 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a pedometer 70. The pedometer 70 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing distance traveled by the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a pedometer-activating switch 72. The pedometer-activating switch 72 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the pedometer 70 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., an accelerometer 74. The accelerometer 74 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing acceleration of the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., an accelerometer-activating switch 76. The accelerometer-activating switch 76 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the accelerometer 74 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a cell-phone 78. The cell-phone 78 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing cell-phone use for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a cell-phone keypad 80. The cell-phone keypad 80 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the cell-phone 78 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., an audible message alert 82. The audible message alert 82 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for providing audible message alerts for the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a message-alert-activating switch 84. The message-alert-activating switch 84 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the audible message alert 82 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., an audible stairs/road depression alert 86. The audible stairs/road depression alert 86 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for alerting a blind user of upcoming stairs or a road depression.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a stairs/road-depression-alert-activating switch 88. The stairs/road-depression-alert-activating switch 88 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the stairs/road depression alert 86 of the functional devices 14.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a system tester 90. The system tester 90 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, is in electrical communication with the battery interface 16 of the functional devices 14, and is for testing the functional devices 14 by the user.
The functional devices 14 further comprise, e.g., a system tester-activating switch 92. The system tester-activating switch 92 of the functional devices 14 is disposed on the cane body 12, and is in electrical communication with, to selectively operate, the system tester 90 of the functional devices 14.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
While the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described as embodied in a multi-function cane, however, they are not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of the embodiments of the present invention illustrated and their operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the embodiments of the present invention.
Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the embodiments of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt them for various applications without omitting features that from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.
