DE2264365A1 - PROBE AND GUIDE STICK FOR THE BLIND - Google Patents

Description

Tactile and guide stick for the blind The invention relates to a tactile and a guide stick for orientation of the blind.

The feeler and guide stick should provide orientation when walking in enable obstacles that are in the way to be detected in good time and the nature and the limits of the path groping into the orientation of the Blind people can be included.

It is known to use tactile sticks in the form of white walking sticks or extended ones Use walking sticks (so-called long sticks).

These tactile sticks do not guarantee a great deal of safety when walking quickly. Accidents are relatively easy. These sticks are used for point-like scanning of the ground, for grinding over the ground and for scanning the air space.

The short stick is handled normally like a walking stick.

Only when the blind person becomes unsure does he use it to palpate one wider space in front of him. Erroneous assessments are therefore frequent and can lead to collisions and falls.

The long stick is usually left when walking step by step and alternating to the right. to the walking step, tapping once for each step, used. the The tip of the stick describes a flat one from touch to touch of the ground Arch so that the blind can feel towering objects (masts, cars, etc.) in front of him and can also hope to come across objects lying in front of him. Here is damage the felt objects with the tip possible. The state of the soil will only be Experienced punctiform and only whether it is hard or soft and whether a change tion is present at the altitude compared to the previous touch point. The palpation of flat objects that create a trip hazard is very imprecise. Area Objects that are below the arch to be written on by the stick are not to recognize.

The invention is based on the task of providing the blind with a quick and enable safe walking by enabling him to walk in front of him The lying path can be easily, quickly and safely scanned (unrolled) and changes in the type of condition of the soil as well as the type of change caused by the Feel the stick with the hand without interruption.

This object is achieved in that at the lower end of the tactile stick a tea cart wheel and - horizontally above the tea cart wheel on the stick - a rubber-tyred one Crown wheel to be attached. This combination can be used individually or for better ground scanning can also be arranged multiple times.

While the blind in the previous method the floor per step touched only once with the tip of the stick, there is the particular advantage of the invention in the fact that when executing lateral pendulum movements in progression on the Path a serpentine line is unrolled, on which all structural changes of the path and existing obstacles can be felt via the feeler rod. Be curbs before leaving the sidewalk, rails before stepping on the track structure with safety recognized.

If you run into an obstacle, the horizontally arranged one takes care of it Wheel for lateral guidance of the stick, so that the circumference of an object (e.g. lighting mast) or lateral course (e.g. house wall) can be felt.

An embodiment is shown in the drawing and will described in more detail as follows: The The stick is up at the bottom a length of about 10 cm angled so that this piece when the Floor parallel to the street. Underneath is a so-called tea trolley wheel, which can be swiveled all around attached. On the angled part of the stick lies - attached horizontally - a rotating, rubber-tyred wheel.

There is a cylindrical one on it - for safety in the dark Reflector attached.

Claims (1)

Claims Touch and guide stick for the blind, characterized in that the The feeler and guide stick is angled approx. 10 cm at the lower end and on this - at Parallel position of the angled part to the road - downward one that is movable on all sides Tea trolley wheel (or optionally a larger format) and a horizontally lying, rubber-rimmed, rotatable and provided with a reflector wheel are attached.