GB2326590A

GB2326590A - Attachment for hanging a walking stick

Info

Publication number: GB2326590A
Application number: GB9724675A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Mitchell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-06-13
Filing date: 1997-11-24
Publication date: 1998-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 2017-11-24
Also published as: GB2326590A8; GB9724675D0; GB2326590B

Description

WALKING STICK ATTACHMENT The walking stick attachment (referred to from hereon as the "device") is a simple, easy to use, device which will aid persons who, for various reasons, require to use a walking stick and find it inconvenient when they require to park the stick temporarily, usually by leaning it against an object or a wall, or tuck it under their arm. The device provides a means whereby an ordinary walking stick can be instantly parked by hanging it from the user's clothing or tables, wheelchairs etc. The device is lightweight and does not interfere with the normal use of the stick. The device is easily fitted and adjusted for different lengths of stick, and can be used with adjustable length and fold up walking sticks.

A known commercially available device for parking walking sticks in an upright position consists of a large diameter flat rubber moulding which fits over the end of the stick replacing the usual small rubber ferrule. This device provides very limited stability for standing on a very flat and level surface (the stability being dependent on the diameter of the device and the extra weight added) and does not retract when not in use. The extra weight is added at the end of the stick which is not desirable for the user.

Another known commercially available device for parking walking sticks in an upright position consists of a large diameter conical piece which slides up and down at the end of the stick, and in the down position functions similarly to the previous device described. The device is pulled up the stem of the stick whin used for walking. This device provides very limited stability for standing on a very flat and level surface (the stability being dependent on the diameter of the device and the extra weight added).

Another commercially available device for parking a walking stick clips around the stem of the stick and when placed on the top of a flat surface hangs the stick from the flat surface, thereby supporting the stick. This device is therefore limited to the availability of a flat surface.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjustable position attachment 1 for parking a walking stick in cooperation with the user's clothing and from a horizontal surface (Figure 1) comprising a collar 3 with an open side for fitting around the stem 2 of said walking stick, and with retaining means 8 (having resilient means) across the two ends 4 forming the open side of collar 3 and enclosing stem 2, with collar 3 being integral with a projection 5, characterised in that the projection 5 forms a hook on the stem 2 and the end 9A of projection 5 provides a surface (having friction means) at a fixed distance out from stem 2, the arrangement being such that the projection 5 can be inserted into a cavity in the user's clothing 18 to support the stick, and the end 9A of the projection 5 can rest on a horizontal surface 19 to suspend the stick.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation of an adjustable height walking stick attachment fitted to a walking stick stem; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the walking stick attachment of figure 1; Figure 3 is an underside plan view of the walking stick attachment of figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detailed side elevation of an adjustable height walking stick attachment according to another constructional aspect of the invention; Figure 5 is a front elevation of the walking stick attachment of figure 4; Figure 6 is an underside plan view of the walking stick attachment of figure 4.

Figure 7 is a detailed side elevation of an adjustable height walking stick attachment utilising a tool clip as the attachment means according to another aspect of the invention; Figure 8 is a front elevation of the walking stick attachment of figure 7; Figure 9 is an underside plan view of the walking stick attachment of figure 7.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the adjustable height walking stick attachment of figure 1 fitted to a walking stick and hooked into, and hanging from, a trouser pocket; Figure 11 is a side elevation of the adjustable height walking stick attachment of figure 1 fitted to a walking stick and suspended from a horizontal surface.

An adjustable position attachment device 1, as illustrated fitted to a normal walking stick stem 2 in the drawings (Figures 1, 2, 3) and according to one aspect of the present invention, functions as an adjustable position hook 5 on a walking stick stem 2 and provides the means for a walking stick to hang from a pocket 18 (figure 10), belt or waistband on the user's clothing, or to hang it from a chair back or wheelchair, when the user requires both hands free. The attachment device 1 also incorporates an additional feature for hanging the walking stick from a near flat horizontal surface 19 (figure 11) using the angled end 9A of hook 5 which is provided with friction means.

Device 1 (figure 1) is a stiff symmetrical shaped wire frameFwhich has a hook 5 integral with a stem 6 connected at the lower end of the stem 7 to an open collar 3 for attaching the device 1 to a walking stick stem 2 within the normal range of walking stick diameters. The open collar 3 comprises two fingers, integral with the device 1 lower stem 7, angled to each other to form a "V" 10 (figure 3). The "V" collar 3 is placed around the walking stick stem 2 and is retained on the stem by means of a toroidal spring 8 placed against the opposite side of the stem 2 and looped round the ends 4 of the collar fingers, enclosing the stick stem 2 between the collar fingers and the toroidal spring 8 (figure 3).

The collar fingers have two sides 3A and 3B angled to each other with an increasing height from the end 4 towards the lower stem 7 end, the change in height being such that when the device 1 is fitted to different diameters of stick 2 the amount of change in the stretched length of the toroidal spring 8 is reduced, thereby permitting the use of one size of toroidal spring 8 for all normal walking stick stem 2 diameters, and providing a relatively constant effort to move the device 1 up and down the stick stem 2.

The diameter and sectional size of the toroidal spring 8 is selected to permit relatively easy sliding movement of the device 1 up and down the stick stem 2 for height adjustment, but still providing sufficient friction resistance to be able to lift the stick by the device 1.

The length of stem 6 can be short, in which case the walking stick will hang from a pocket (figure 10), or stem 6 can be long (figure 4) in which case the walking stick can rest on the ground while hooked into a pocket.

The two adjacent wires forming hook S (figure 1) are enclosed in a small bore rubber tube 9 which protects the ends of the wires. The end 9A of tube 9 is angled to form the friction surface which can be placed on a horizontal flat surface (figure 11). An alternative hook construction 5A is applied in device 11 (figure 5) in which the wire ends 5B come together inside a small bore rubber tube 12 which forms the friction surface.

It will be appreciated that the above described device 1 conterts a normal straight round section walking stick into one which can be parked in an upright position, either by hooking it into cavities in the user's clothing 18 (figure 10) or suspending it from horizontal flat surfaces 19 (figure 11), chair backs, wheelchairs and radiators, and reduces some of the inconvenience of using a walking stick.

The device 1 can be fitted to a normal straight type of adjustable length or fixed length walking stick, including wooden sticks which may have localised variation in diameter, and its small size makes it unobtrusive and it has no detrimental effect on the normal usage of the stick.

Furthermore the device 1 is easily adjusted for height when fitted onto the walking stick to accommodate different lengths of straight walking stick, including fold up and adjustable length sticks.

It will be understood that one specific size of device 1 can be made which will cover existing popular sizes of walking sticks.

Typically a walking stick size range of 17mm to 25mm outside diameters can be accommodated. The device is lightweight and typically will weigh less than 30gms.

An alternative construction for the walking stick attachment 1 is device 12 (figure 8) which uses a standard spring tool clip to form the open sided collar 13 and which is joined to a hook 15 and eliminates the stem of the aforementioned constructions. The hook 15 (figure 7) is typically made from wire or plastic bent to a "U" form and is enclosed in a small bore rubber tube 16 with an angled flat end 16A. The wire hook 15 and rubber tube 16 are fixed by rivet 14 to the collar 13. The device 12 is retained optionally on the stick stem 2 by a rubber "0" ring 17 looped over the collar 13 open ends 13A. Typically three diameters of "0" ring 17 are required to be supplied to accommodate the range of walking stick stem 2 diameters.

A further alternative construction for device 12 would incorporate the tool clip 13 profile and the hook 15 shape together integrally in a plastic moulding, with a friction material fitted onto the end 16A of the hook 12.

Claims

1. An adjustable position attachment 1 for parking a walking stick in cooperation with the user's clothing and from a horizontal surface (Figure 1) comprising a collar 3 with an open side for fitting around the stem 2 of said walking stick, and with retaining means 8 (having resilient means) across the two ends 4 forming the open side of collar 3 and enclosing stem 2, with collar 3 being integral with a projection 5, characterised in that the projection 5 forms a hook on the stem 2 and the end 9A of projection 5 provides a surface (having friction means) at a fixed distance out from stem 2, the arrangement being such that the projection 5 can be inserted into a cavity 18 in the user's clothing to support the stick (figure 10), and the end 9A of the projection 5 can rest on a horizontal surface 19 to suspend the stick (figure 11).

2. An adjustable position attachment 1 for walking sticks according to claim 1 wherein the attaching means 8 for the device 1 to the walking stick stem 2 is a toroidal spring (Figure 1).

3. An adjustable position attachment 1 for walking sticks according to any one of the previous claims wherein there is a reduced amount of change in the stretched length of the attaching means 8 when fitted to a range of diameters of walking stick stem 2.

4. An adjustable position attachment 1 for walking sticks according to any one of previous claims wherein the attaching means 8 is a rubber "o" ring (Figure 18).

5. An adjustable position attachment 1 for walking sticks according to any one of previous claims wherein the body of the attachment is formed from steel wire (figure 1).

6. An adjustable position attachment 12 for walking sticks according to claims 1, 2 and 4 wherein the collar 13 is comprised of a steel tool clip (figure 8).

7. An adjustable position attachment 12 for walking sticks according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 wherein the collar 13 and hook 15 are integral in a plastic moulding.

8. An adjustable position attachment for walking sticks according to claims 1, 6 and 7 wherein friction material is provided at the end of the hook.

9. An adjustable position attachment for walking sticks substantially as herein before described with reference to and as shown in figures 1 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been fi.d as follows 1. An adjustable position attachment 1 for parking a walking stick in cooperation with the user's clothing and from a horizontal surface (Figure 1) comprising a collar 3 with an open side for fitting around the stem 2 of said walking stick, and with retaining means 8 (having resilient means) across the two ends 4 forming the open side of collar 3 and enclosing stem 2, with collar 3 being integral with a projection 5, characterised in that the projection 5 forms a hook on the stem 2 and the end 9A of projection 5 provides a surface (having friction means) at a fixed distance out from stem 2, the arrangement being such that the projection 5 can be inserted into a cavity 18 in the user's clothing to support the stick (figure 10), and the end 9A of the projection 5 can rest on a horizontal surface 19 to suspend the stick (figure 11).

4. An adjustable position attachment 1 for walking sticks according to any one of previous claims wherein the attaching means 8 is a rubber "0" ring (Figure 18).

7. An adjustable position attachment 12 for walking sticks according to claim 6 wherein the hook 15 is fixed by rivet 14 to the collar 13 (figure 7).

8. An adjustable position attachment 12 for walking sticks according to claim 7 wherein the collar 13 and hook 15 are integral in a plastic moulding.

9. An adjustable position attachment for walking sticks according to claims 1, 7 and 8 wherein hook 15 is enclosed in a tubular friction material 16 with the flat end 16A angled at approximately 90 degrees to the stick stem 2 (figure 8).

10. An adjustable position attachment for walking sticks substantially as herein before described with reference to and as shown in figures 1 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

10. An adjustable position attachment 12 for walking sticks wherein the tubular friction material is rubber.