US20070251559A1

US20070251559A1 - Walking stick having multiple functions

Info

Publication number: US20070251559A1
Application number: US11/409,179
Authority: US
Inventors: Jung-Chia Yu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-04-21
Filing date: 2006-04-21
Publication date: 2007-11-01

Abstract

A walking stick includes a shank, a handle, a housing, and a control circuit device. The control circuit device includes a circuit board, a gear unit, a rocker lever, a generating motor, a storage battery, a lighting circuit, a warning circuit, a sounding circuit, and a charging circuit. Thus, the walking stick can provide an illuminating effect, a video warning effect, an audio warning effect and a recharging function. In addition, the user only needs to swivel the rocker lever to drive the generating motor to generate an electric power which is stored in the storage battery unit, so that the walking stick can generate an electric power manually without having to replace any battery, thereby facilitating the user operating the walking stick outdoors.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a walking stick and, more particularly, to a walking stick having multiple functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional walking stick comprises a shank, and a handle mounted on the shank. Thus, the walking stick is available for providing aid to a user so as to reduce the burden applied on the user's body when walking or mountaineering. However, the conventional walking stick only has a single function, thereby limiting the versatility of the conventional walking stick.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a walking stick, comprising a shank, a handle mounted on the shank, a housing, and a control circuit device mounted in the housing. The control circuit device includes a circuit board, a gear unit connected to the circuit board and containing a plurality of intermeshing gears, a rocker lever pivotally mounted on the housing and connected to an input terminal of the gear unit, a generating motor connected to an output terminal of the gear unit and connected to the circuit board, a storage battery unit connected to the circuit board to store an electric power generated by the generating motor, a lighting circuit connected to the circuit board, a warning circuit connected to the circuit board, a sounding circuit connected to the circuit board, and a charging circuit connected to the circuit board.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a walking stick having multiple functions.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a walking stick, wherein the lighting member lights so that the walking stick can emit light beams outwardly to provide an illuminating effect.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a walking stick, wherein the warning light blinks so that the walking stick can blinks to provide a video warning effect.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a walking stick, wherein the buzzer produces sound so that the walking stick can sound to provide an audio warning effect.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a walking stick, wherein the charging seat is used to recharge an electric appliance so that the walking stick can provide a recharging function.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a walking stick, wherein the user only needs to swivel the rocker lever to drive the generating motor to generate an electric power which is stored in the storage battery unit, so that the walking stick can generate an electric power manually without having to replace any battery, thereby facilitating the user operating the walking stick outdoors.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a walking stick in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a locally perspective enlarged view of the walking stick as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the walking stick as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of the walking stick as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a top plan cross-sectional view of the walking stick as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a plan operational view of the walking stick as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 is a partially perspective view of a walking stick in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of the walking stick as shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a walking stick in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a shank 60, a handle 10 mounted on the shank 60, a housing 11 mounted on the shank 60, and a control circuit device 20 mounted in the housing 11. Thus, the control circuit device 20 is operated manually to generate an electric power.
The housing 11 is secured on the handle 10 and includes a first shell 110 and a second shell 111 mounted on the first shell 110. The first shell 110 of the housing 11 is formed on an upper portion of the handle 10 and has an end portion formed with a through hole 1101.
The control circuit device 20 includes a circuit board 23, a gear unit 21 connected to the circuit board 23 and containing a plurality of intermeshing gears, a rocker lever 22 pivotally mounted on the second shell 111 of the housing 1 1 and connected to an input terminal of the gear unit 21, a generating motor 210 connected to an output terminal of the gear unit 21 and connected to the circuit board 23, a storage battery unit 24 connected to the circuit board 23 to store an electric power generated by the generating motor 210, a lighting circuit connected to the circuit board 23, a warning circuit connected to the circuit board 23, a sounding circuit connected to the circuit board 23, and a charging circuit connected to the circuit board 23.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lighting circuit is mounted on a first end of the housing 11 and includes at least one lighting member 25, a light gathering hood 250 mounted around the lighting member 25, and a lamp shade 251 located in front of the lighting member 25. The warning circuit is mounted on a first side of the housing 11 and includes at least one warning light 26, and a lamp shade 260 located in front of the warning light 26. The sounding circuit is mounted on a second side of the housing 11 and includes a buzzer 28 connected to a buzzing circuit of the circuit board 23. The charging circuit is mounted on a second end of the housing 11 and includes a charging seat 29 facing the through hole 1101 of the housing 11 to recharge an electric appliance, such as a cell phone, notebook computer or the like. The control circuit device 20 further includes a plurality of switches 27 mounted on the first side of the housing 11 and each connected to the circuit board 23, and a plurality of push buttons 270 mounted on the switches 27 and protruded outwardly from the housing 11.
In operation, referring to FIGS. 1-6, when the rocker lever 22 is pivoted outwardly from the housing 11 as shown in FIG. 6, the rocker lever 22 is swiveled to rotate the intermeshing gears of the gear unit 21 to drive the generating motor 210 to generate an electric power which is stored in the storage battery unit 24, so that the storage battery unit 24 supplies the electric power to the control circuit device 20. In such a manner, when the push button 270 of the respective switch 27 is pushed, the lighting member 25 of the lighting circuit emits light beams which are refracted by the light gathering hood 250 so that the lighting member 25 can project enhanced light beams outwardly to provide an illuminating effect. In addition, when the push button 270 of the respective switch 27 is pushed, the warning light 26 of the warning circuit lights and blinks to provide a video warning effect. In addition, when the push button 270 of the respective switch 27 is pushed, the buzzer 28 of the sounding circuit produces sound to provide an audio warning effect.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a walking stick in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a shank 60, a handle 10 mounted on the shank 60, a housing 40 mounted on the shank 60, and a control circuit device 50 mounted in the housing 40. Thus, the control circuit device 50 is operated manually to generate an electric power.
The housing 40 is located under the handle 10 and includes a first shell 41 and a second shell 42 mounted on the first shell 41. The first shell 41 of the housing 40 is mounted on the shank 60 and has an end portion formed with a through hole 411.
The control circuit device 50 includes a circuit board 53, a gear unit 51 connected to the circuit board 53 and containing a plurality of intermeshing gears, a rocker lever 52 pivotally mounted on the second shell 42 of the housing 40 and connected to an input terminal of the gear unit 51, a generating motor 510 connected to an output terminal of the gear unit 51 and connected to the circuit board 53, a storage battery unit 54 connected to the circuit board 53 to store an electric power generated by the generating motor 510, a lighting circuit connected to the circuit board 53, a warning circuit connected to the circuit board 53, a sounding circuit connected to the circuit board 53, and a charging circuit connected to the circuit board 53.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lighting circuit is mounted on a first side of the housing 40 and includes at least one lighting member 55. The warning circuit is mounted on the first side of the housing 40 and includes at least one warning light 56. A lamp shade 43 is mounted on the first side of the housing 40 to cover the lighting member 55 and the warning light 56. The control circuit device 50 further includes a plurality of switches 58 mounted on a first end of the housing 40 and each connected to the circuit board 53, and a plurality of push buttons 580 mounted on the switches 58 and protruded outwardly from the housing 40. The sounding circuit is mounted on a second side of the housing 40 and includes a buzzer 57 connected to a buzzing circuit of the circuit board 53. The charging circuit is mounted on a second end of the housing 40 and includes a charging seat 59 facing the through hole 411 of the housing 40 to recharge an electric appliance, such as a cell phone, notebook computer or the like.
Accordingly, the lighting member lights so that the walking stick can emit light beams outwardly to provide an illuminating effect. In addition, the warning light blinks so that the walking stick can blinks to provide a video warning effect. Further, the buzzer produces sound so that the walking stick can sound to provide an audio warning effect. Further, the charging seat is used to recharge an electric appliance so that the walking stick can provide a recharging function. Further, the user only needs to swivel the rocker lever to drive the generating motor to generate an electric power which is stored in the storage battery unit, so that the walking stick can generate an electric power manually without having to replace any battery, thereby facilitating the user operating the walking stick outdoors.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A walking stick, comprising:

a shank;

a handle mounted on the shank;

a housing;

a control circuit device mounted in the housing and including a circuit board, a gear unit connected to the circuit board and containing a plurality of intermeshing gears, a rocker lever pivotally mounted on the housing and connected to an input terminal of the gear unit, a generating motor connected to an output terminal of the gear unit and connected to the circuit board, a storage battery unit connected to the circuit board to store an electric power generated by the generating motor, a lighting circuit connected to the circuit board, a warning circuit connected to the circuit board, a sounding circuit connected to the circuit board, and a charging circuit connected to the circuit board.

2. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first shell and a second shell mounted on the first shell.

3. The walking stick in accordance with claim 2, wherein the rocker lever is pivotally mounted on the second shell of the housing.

4. The walking stick in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first shell of the housing is formed on an upper portion of the handle.

5. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing is secured on the handle.

6. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lighting circuit includes at least one lighting member, a light gathering hood mounted around the lighting member, and a lamp shade located in front of the lighting member.

7. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the warning circuit includes at least one warning light, and a lamp shade located in front of the warning light.

8. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sounding circuit includes a buzzer connected to a buzzing circuit of the circuit board.

9. The walking stick in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first shell of the housing has an end portion formed with a through hole, and the charging circuit includes a charging seat facing the through hole of the housing.

10. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control circuit device further includes a plurality of switches mounted on the housing and each connected to the circuit board.

11. The walking stick in accordance with claim 10, wherein the control circuit device further includes a plurality of push buttons mounted on the switches and protruded outwardly from the housing.

12. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lighting circuit is mounted on a first end of the housing, and the charging circuit is mounted on a second end of the housing.

13. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the warning circuit is mounted on a first side of the housing, and the sounding circuit is mounted on a second side of the housing.

14. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein when the rocker lever is pivoted outwardly from the housing, the rocker lever is swiveled to rotate the intermeshing gears of the gear unit to drive the generating motor to generate an electric power which is stored in the storage battery unit.

15. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing is mounted on the shank and located under the handle.

16. The walking stick in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first shell of the housing is mounted on the shank.

17. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lighting circuit includes at least one lighting member, and the warning circuit includes at least one warning light.

18. The walking stick in accordance with claim 17, further comprising a lamp shade mounted on the housing to cover the lighting member and the warning light.

19. The walking stick in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lighting circuit is mounted on a first side of the housing, the warning circuit is mounted on the first side of the housing, and the sounding circuit is mounted on a second side of the housing.

20. The walking stick in accordance with claim 10, wherein the switches are mounted on a first end of the housing, and the charging circuit is mounted on a second end of the housing.