GB2177648A - Reaching aids - Google Patents

Abstract

A reaching aid comprises an elongate stem 1 with a hand grip at one end and jaw members 7 and 10 at the other end. The upper jaw member 10 is fixed to the stem 1 and the lower jaw member 7 is pivotally mounted on the stem 1 for jaw-closing movement against return spring by means of a trigger 4.The jaw member 7 has at least one projection 19, 20, 21 or 22 on its outer lower edge which can be used to hook on to and drag an article towards the user of the reaching aid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Reaching aids The invention relates to reaching aids of the type comprising an elongate stem or shank provided with a handgrip at one end and trigger-operated gripping jaws at the other end.

Reaching aids of this type are well known and they most commonly comprise a stem of U-shaped channel section, the side limbs of which have arcuate cut outs defining the upper jaw formation.

An arcuate lower jaw member which is spring urged to the open position is pivotally supported between the side limbs and connected, through an operating cord, to a trigger member also pivotally mounted between the side limbs and adjacent a pistol-type handgrip. A long lower jaw member is required in order to provide a reasonable throat size whilst providing a satisfactory angle of attack for gripping differently sized objects, particularly small objects.

As will be appreciated the angle of attack of the lower jaw varies with the jaw opening and, as it is necessary to ensure that small objects can be picked up and firmly gripped, the holding of large objects such as tins tends to be unsatisfactory. Furthermore, it is often desirable that an article should merely be dragged towards the user and it is an object of the invention to provide a construction which enables this to be done in a convenient manner whilst the reaching aid is held in the normal manner, and without it being necessary to grip the article between the jaws. A further object is the provision of a reaching aid which handles larger objects more satisfactorily.

According to the invention a reaching aid of the foregoing type has a pivotally mounted lower jaw member which is provided on its outer lower edge with a projection which can be used to hook on to and drag an article towards the user.

The reaching aid preferably has an upper jaw member which presents a step relative to the elongate stem or shank, which step faces towards the handgrip end of the stem.

Preferably said projection of the lower jaw member is one of a number of such projections, for example three projections, providing a generally sawtooth profile over a corresponding length of the lower jaw member. This lower jaw member may have a generally arcuate concave jaw profile which assists in gripping larger objects which are received between the stem and the lower jaw member inwardly of the step presented by the upper jaw member. Such objects are retained by this step rather than gripped by the downwardly facing jaw profile of the upper jaw member. In order to provide a large throat size the lower jaw may be of generally L-shaped form, with a generally arcuate outer limb providing the corresponding jaw profile and a straight inner limb which is pivotally attached to the stem.At the junction of the two limbs the lower jaw member may have a projection or sharp corner which can be employed to engage and drag larger articles towards the user. In a preferred construction a torsion spring at the pivotal attachment of the lower jaw member urges the latter to the open position.

The elongate stem is conveniently a metal extrusion of U-shaped channel section with side limbs between which the various other components, such as the upper jaw member and the lower jaw member, are mounted. Both jaw members may be plastics mouldings and a block of a resilient material, such as a rubber or rubber-like elastomeric material, may be mounted between the side limbs in the region of the upper jaw member and extending into the latter. This insert provides a resilient frictional grip which assists not only the gripping of small objects directly between the jaw members but also the gripping of larger objects which engage behind said step. For picking up small metal articles of magnetic material such as pins and needles a magnet may be mounted on or in the upper jaw member, preferably being fitted flush with the outer end face thereof.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, a preferred embodiment. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reaching aid in accordance with the invention, and Figures 2 and 3 are respectively detail views relating to the jaw formations of the aid.

The reaching aid illustrated comprises an elongate metal stem or shank 1 of U-shaped channel section and provided by a length of an aluminium alloy extrusion. A pistol-type handgrip 2 is fixed between the side limbs of the stem 1 at one end thereof by means of rivets 3. A jaw-operating trigger member 4 is mounted adjacent the handgrip 2 on a pivot pin 5 and it is connected by a cord 6, which extends within the stem 1 and around a forward sheave pulley 6a, to a lower jaw member 7 mounted on a pivot pin 8. A torsion spring 9 at the pivot pin 8 urges the jaw member 7 to the open position illustrated in the drawings.

An upper jaw member 10 is provided by a plastics moulding which is secured to and at its inner end fits into the outer end of the stem 1, being secured thereto by rivets 10a. This moulding 10 is also of U-shaped cross-section with side limbs presenting a concave arcuate jaw profile 11 which faces downwardly towards the lower jaw member 7. Each side of the upper jaw member 10 presents a rearwardly facing step 12 with respect to the stem 1, this step facing towards the pivot pin 8. A rectangular block 13 of resilient elastomeric or rubber-like material, for example of polyurethane, is inserted between the side limbs of the stem 1 and the jaw member 10 so that it projects to provide a resilient frictional grip with an article picked up by the reaching aid. A bi-polar permanent magnet assembly 14 is a press fit within a bore 15 moulded in the jaw member 10.The assembly 14 presents two spaced magnetic poles disposed substantially flush with the outer end surface of the jaw member 10.

The lower jaw member 7 is L-shaped, with an outer limb 7a of generally arcuate shape with a concave arcuate recess 16 presenting a jaw profile which is mainly effective for the gripping of larger objects, such as tins, which are gripped between the jaw member 7 and the stem 1 inwardly of the step 12. The recess 16 is serrated for improved grip. Smaller objects are gripped by the upper jaw profile 11 which cooperates with the tip 17 of the lower jaw member 7 to grip such objects. The resilient block 13 is operative to provide a resilient frictional grip in both modes of gripping, that is by the upper jaw profile 11 or inwardly of the step 12.

A moulded soft plastics ferrule 18 is provided which can be slipped over the jaw tip 17 to protect the article being gripped, for example when using the embodiment as a dressing aid to grip a nylon stocking. The ferrule 18 also provides an increased frictional grip when picking up a smooth article.

Over a portion of its length the lower jaw member 7 has along its lower edge a generally sawtooth profile presenting three projections 19,20,21.

The projections 19 to 21 can be hooked over or otherwise engaged with an article which can then be dragged towards the user whilst holding the reaching aid in the normal manner. At least for heavier articles this procedure will normally be carried out with the jaw member 7 held in the closed position by means of the trigger member 4.

At the junction of the two limbs 7a and 7b the lower jaw member 7 has a generally triangular projection 22 which can be used to engage and drag larger, particularly thicker, and heaver articles towards the user. The trigger 4 is of unusually hook-shaped form, presenting a re-entrant profile which enables the aid to be hooked on to a support when not in use. For example it can be reliably hooked-on to the top frame member of a walking frame, without any danger of it falling off during movement of the walking frame.

Claims (11)

1. A reaching aid comprising an elongate stem or shank provided with a handgrip at one end and trigger-operated gripping jaws at the other end, wherein a pivotally-mounted lower jaw member is provided on its outer lower edge with a projection which can be used to hook on to and drag an article towards the user of the reaching aid.

2. A reaching aid according to claim 1, wherein said projection of the lower jaw member is one of a plurality of such projections providing a generally saw-tooth profile over a corresponding length of the lower jaw member

3. A reaching aid according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an upper jaw member presents a step relative to the elongate stem or shank, which step faces towards the handgrip end of the stem or shank.

4. A reaching aid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein both jaw members are plastics mouldings and a block of resilient material is mounted in the stem or shank in the region of the upper jaw member, this resilient block projecting from the stem or shank and extending into the upper jaw member.

5. A reaching aid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower jaw member is of generally L-shaped form.

6. A reaching aid according to claim 5, wherein the lower jaw member has a generally arcuate outer limb providing the corresponding jaw profile and having said projection or projections, and a straight inner limb which is pivotally attached to the stem or shank.

7. A reaching aid according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein at the junction of said limbs the lower jaw member has a projection or sharp corner which can be empioyed to engage and drag an article towards the user.

8. A reaching aid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a torsion spring at a pivotal attachment of the lower jaw member urges the latter to the open position.

9. A reaching aid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a permanent magnet assembly is recessed into the outer end of the reaching aid so as to be flush with an end surface thereof.

10. A reaching aid according to claim 9, wherein the permanent magnet is provided by a bi-polar assembly which presents two spaced magnetic poles disposed substantially flush with the outer end surface of a moulded plastics upper jaw member, the assembly being a press fit in a bore in the upper jaw member.

11. A reaching aid constructed and arranged substantially as herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.