GB2545262A

GB2545262A - Handle warming

Info

Publication number: GB2545262A
Application number: GB1521877.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fern Steven
Original assignee: Quantum Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Current assignee: Quantum Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Priority date: 2015-12-11
Filing date: 2015-12-11
Publication date: 2017-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2035-12-11
Also published as: GB201521877D0; GB2545262B

Abstract

A method and apparatus for warming a handle 210 of a portable device is provided. In particular, a handle 210 having a heater element 265 disposed in a grippable body 260 of the handle 210 and a switch 270 supported by the grippable body 260 which can selectively provide power to the heater element 265 and be operated without the users hand leaving the handle 210. The switch 270 may operate via a pressure switch, hand sensor, light detector or a heat detector. The switch 270 may be located either on an under surface or end region of the grippable body 260. A USB port 280 may be provided to charge an onboard power source (350, figure 3) of a portable device (320, figure 3). A portable device (120, figure 1) may have an integral handle 110 with the features of the handle 210 and be a walking stick, walking frame, pram/pushchair or a tool.

Description

HANDLE WARMING

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for warming a handle or handles of a portable device. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a handle having a heater element disposed in a grippable body of the handle and a handle switch supported by the grippable body which can selectively provide power to the heater in a very convenient manner responsive to action or location of a user’s hand on the handle.

Many different types of portable device that are used or moved by a human user are known. For example walking sticks or poles, tools, baby carriages/prams, walking frames or the like. In these or other such devices human users grasp hold of one or more regions of the portable device with one or both hands so as to make use of it. One or more handles are conventionally provided to facilitate such use. Handles typically have a curved surface provided in a shape and configuration that makes them convenient and comfortable for a user to use.

However it is well known that in geographical locations where cold temperatures are prevalent and particularly during winter months the handles of such devices can become cold and uncomfortable to touch or grip. There have been many attempts made to try to address this issue. For example US2008/0272102 illustrates hand warming apparatus associated with portable devices in which a handle including a heating element can be warmed by switching on a power source. As illustrated in US2008/0272102 a power source such as one or more batteries can be located in a region of the portable device and a switch provided on the portable device so that the handle can selectively be heated when desired.

Whilst the disclosure of US2008/0272102 does offer some ability to heat handles for portable devices its use is highly inconvenient and prone to user error. For example the power switch used to heat the handles illustrated are located on the portable device. This is highly inconvenient for a user holding the handle. Equally the region where the switch is located is not itself heated meaning that the user has to touch a cold region of the portable device if a state of the heater is to be changed after an initial start-up. Equally the switch of the portable device is prone to being knocked as the portable device is used which can result in an undesired state of the switch being set.

It is an aim of the present invention to at least partly mitigate the above-mentioned problems.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a handle member for a portable device and a method of using such a handle member.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a method of using a handle in which a user gripping the handle can either automatically switch on a heater when they grasp the portable device via a handle or can selectively choose to switch on or off a heater in a very convenient manner.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a handle member and method of using a handle member in which a heater for a handle can automatically be switched on as soon as a user grasps the handle without any further user actuation being necessary.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide one or more handles which are provided as a single unit together with a portable device or alternatively which can be selectively secured to appropriate locations of a portable device as desired.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide one or more heatable handles for a wide range of possible portable devices.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a handle member for a portable device, comprising: a grippable body comprising a curved gripping surface at least partly locatable in a hand of a user; at least one heater element disposed in the grippable body for selectively heating at least a region of the gripping surface; and a handle switch element supported by the grippable body that selectively provides electrical power to the heater element to heat the gripping surface responsive to a user’s hand on the grippable body.

Aptly the switch element is a manually actuated electro mechanical switch having a selectable on and off position selectable by hand.

Aptly the switch element is a pressure switch having a fail-safe off position when a holding pressure provided by a hand on the grippable body is released.

Aptly the switch element comprises a hand sensor element that provides power when a hand is detected proximate to the grippable body.

Aptly the hand sensor element is a light sensitive detector that switches off when light is detected.

Aptly the hand sensor element comprises a heat detecting element.

Aptly the switch element is located on an under surface of the grippable body.

Aptly the switch element is located at an end region of the grippable body.

Aptly the handle further comprises a USB port for recharging an onboard power source of a portable device.

Aptly the handle member further comprises at least one securing element for securing the grippable body to a portable device.

Aptly the handle member further comprises a plurality of contact electrodes arranged to align with respective electrical elements carried by the portable device; wherein as the handle member is secured to the portable device the contact electrodes are arranged to make respective electrical connection simultaneously with an onboard power source carried by a portable device.

Aptly the handle member further comprises the handle switch element, when electrically connected to the portable device, is arranged to receive power via a further switch element of the portable device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a portable device comprising a handle member that includes a grippable body comprising a curved gripping surface at least partly locatable in a hand of a user; at least one heater element disposed in the grippable body for selectively heating at least a region of the gripping surface; and a handle switch element supported by the grippable body that selectively provides electrical power to the heater element to heat the gripping surface responsive to a user’s hand on the grippable body.

Aptly the portable device is a walking stick or pole or a walking frame or a pram/pushchair or a tool.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for warming at least one handle member of a portable device, comprising the steps of: responsive to a user’s hand on a grippable body of a handle member of a portable device, selecting a state of a handle switch element supported by the grippable body; and selectively heating at least a region of a curved gripping surface of the grippable body via at least one heater element disposed in the grippable body, responsive to said state.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a handle and a method of using a handle in which a switch element on the handle can be used to selectively provide power to a heater of the handle. According to certain embodiments selection of a state of the switch element can be automatically set as soon as a user places a hand on the handle. In certain other embodiments the state can be selected by an easy to use and conveniently located switch on the handle meaning that a user does not need to remove their hand from the handle to turn on or off the heating effect. One or more such handles can be provided/used per portable device.

In certain embodiments of the present invention the temperature generated is itself selectable responsive to a selected state of an easy to access and easy to operate switch.

Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a walking stick with a heated handle;

Figure 2 illustrates a handle separable from a portable device; and

Figure 3 illustrates parts of a portable device to which a heatable handle can be secured.

In the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts.

Figure 1 illustrates a portable device in the form of a walking stick 100. It will be appreciated that a walking stick is an example of a portable device. Certain embodiments of the present invention are applicable to a broad range of portable devices such as walking sticks, walking frames, baby carriages and strollers/prams, tools, such as snow shovels, or the like. The walking stick 100 includes a handle 110 at a first end thereof and a shaft 120 which extends between the handle and a foot 130. Aptly as illustrated the foot 130 is a rubber element. Aptly the foot includes a rubber surface or other high friction material to assist ensuring that the walking stick does not slip or slide when located on and urged against a walking surface.

The shaft 120 can be a single piece elongate shaft or, as illustrated in Figure 1, a telescopic shaft formed by a first relatively narrow shaft portion 135 which is a substantially cylindrical element and an outer shaft piece 140 which is slidable over the lower shaft piece 135. A row of resilient lugs 145 are carried by the lower shaft element and these are biased outwardly. A user may thereby select an overall length provided by the two parts of the shaft by selectively urging the outwardly biased lugs inward so that the outer part of the shaft passed over an inset lug and thus can be located at a desired axial length position.

The shaft 120 carries a power source 150. As illustrated in Figure 1 the power source can be provided by a battery pack 150 located in the upper part of the shaft. It will be appreciated that according to certain embodiments of the present invention the power pack/power source can be located at any desired location along the shaft.

Figure 1 also helps illustrate how a handle can be provided as a generally T-shaped piece having a curved surface which is designed and manufactured to fit easily/readily in the hand of a human user. It will be appreciated that certain embodiments of the present invention can be utilised with a handle which has a non T-shape. For example the handle can be approximate L-shaped or figure of eight shaped or U-shaped body or the like.

The grippable body 160 which forms part of the handle and which includes a curved gripping surface includes a heater element 165 (illustrated by the dotted line). It will be appreciated that various heating elements which generate and maintain heat in the handle body can be utilised according to certain embodiments of the present invention. For example, the handle body may be formed of an insulating ceramic wood or polymeric material in which heating elements are embedded or wrapped. The heating element is such that when it is provided with electrical power a heating effect is generated in the handle so as to heat the grippable body. Aptly the heating element comprises a set of metallic fine wires or grafoil heaters. Aptly the handle body is provided with a flexible foam or polymeric material having air cells providing insulation which is inserted between a ceramic or polymeric core and a wrapped heating element. Aptly an infrared reflective metallic element can be inserted between a heating element and a flexible foam or polymeric material. The infrared reflective metallic element reflects heat emitted by a heater towards an outer surface of the grippable body and thus towards the hand of a user.

The handle 110 carries a power switch 170. This is in electrical connection with the power source 150 carried in the shaft of the walking frame and electrically connected to an optional switch 175 on the shaft of the walking stick. The switch 170 is a switch element of the handle supported by the grippable body. Aptly the handle switch selectively provides electrical power to the heater element 165 to heat the gripping surface. The switch illustrated in Figure 1 is a two position switch located at a front region of the handle. Thus when a user places their hand on the handle the switch is conveniently located where the fingertips of a hand on the handle will naturally rest and be located. The switch can thus be readily utilised to switch between an on or off state thus heating or not heating the handle as desired. It will be appreciated that alternatively the switch can be located at other locations on the handle. For example on an underside or rear end or side. It will be appreciated that a user’s hand does not need to leave the handle to operate the switch. Optionally the switch 170 can be a multi-state switch which thus provides an off position and multiple selectable on positions which can thus be utilised to heat the handle to different respective predetermined temperatures.

It will be appreciated that as an alternative to the multi-state/on off switch (or single state on/off switch 170 illustrated in Figure 1) different types of switching elements could be utilised on the handle to selectively provide electrical power to the heater element. For example rather than the manually actuated electromechanical switch previously described the switch element could be a pressure switch having a failsafe off position. Thus when a user locates their hand on the curved surface of the handle the switch element automatically detects pressure of the hand and turns on to operate the heater. When a user’s hand is removed the switch will automatically operate to switch off the heater into the default off state which reduces the risk of wasting power.

As a still further option/example of a switch element the switch element could be a hand sensor such as a light sensitive detector or heat detecting element such as a temperature switch which automatically detects placement of a user’s hand on the handle and selects whether or not to heat the handle. All of the switching elements thus selectively provide electrical power to the heater element to heat the gripping surface responsive to a user’s hand on the grippable body. That is to say either in response to users fingers manually selecting a position of a switch or by the mere location of a hand on the handle.

As illustrated in Figure 1 a USB port 180 is provided on the handle (or optionally on the device shaft) to enable an external power source to charge the on board power source 150. The USB port (or other such electrical connection) is of course wired conventionally to the power source. As illustrated in Figure 1 a light 185 is provided on the handle to provide a user with a visible cue as to whether or not power is being utilised by the handle and thus whether the handle is in a heating mode of operation or not.

The walking stick illustrated in Figure 1 is thus an example of a portable device including a handle which includes a grippable body including a curved surface provided for being gripped by a user and one or more heaters in or on the grippable body which can be energised to selectively heat the whole or a part of the gripping surface so that it feels warm to the touch of a user. A switch is supported on the body of the handle and the switch provides electrical power to the heater element on a selective basis to heat the gripping surface responsive to a user’s hand either being placed on or around the handle or when fingers of that hand are used by a user to switch the heater on or off. The walking stick 100 includes a handle permanently attached to at least a upper part of the shaft 120. That is to say when a telescopic shaft is utilised the handle and upper part of the shaft are formed as a single unit with the lower part of the shaft being able to slide up and down within the upper part of the shaft to attain a desired length. It will be appreciated that certain embodiments of the present invention do not utilise a variable length shaft for a walking stick. In such embodiments the handle and shaft are formed as a single piece. That is to say they are permanently coupled to one another subsequent to the walking sticks original manufacture.

Figure 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which a handle 210 is separately manufactured and thus provided as a single piece. That is to say whilst the handle includes a generally T-pieced grippable body 260, which includes a curved gripping surface, and includes a heater element 265 and power switch 270 the handle body also includes a screw thread 275 which enables the handle to be selectively and releasably secured to a portable device of choice. Different shapes of individual handles can of course be provided. The handle illustrated in Figure 2 is thus a multiuse handle which can be selectively secured and then removed from a wide range of portable devices such as a walking stick, tool, baby carriage/pram, walking frame or the like. This helps reduce the cost for portable devices since they do not need to include their own separate handles (although power sources and connection elements corresponding to the connection/securing element 275 are needed). A user can thus secure a heated handle or more than one heated handle at desired locations on a portable device as needed, use the portable device and then subsequently remove each handle and make use of it with another portable device.

As illustrated in Figure 2 the securing mechanism by which a handle can be secured to a portable device can be a screw thread. It will be appreciated that according to certain other embodiments of the present invention other securing/connecting type mechanisms could of course be utilised. The handle 210 illustrated in Figure 2 includes a USB port 280 and power light indicator 285 in many respects similar to that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 helps illustrate a portable device 300 to which the handle 210 illustrated in Figure 2 can be releasably secured. The portable device 300 illustrated in Figure 3 is a walking stick and this includes a shaft 320 which can be a single elongate shaft or, as illustrated in Figure 3 a telescopic shaft formed by relatively narrow first shaft portion 335 which is a substantially cylindrical element and an outer shaft piece 340 which is slideable over the lower shaft piece 335. A row of resilient lugs 345 are carried by the lower shaft element for enabling a user to select an overall length provided by the two parts of the shaft.

The shaft carries a power source 350. As illustrated in Figure 3 the power source is provided by a battery pack 350 located in the upper shaft part. It will be appreciated that according to certain embodiments of the present invention the power pack/power source can be located at any desired location along the shaft or any part of any other portable device type. Electrical connectors 355 are connected to the upper part of the shaft whereby when the handle illustrated in Figure 2 is secured on the portable device mating electrodes carried by the handle (not shown) simultaneously and automatically engaged to make an electrical contact with the corresponding electrodes 355 of the walking stick. Thus as a user selects a handle 210 and secures this to the portable device the power source 350 is electrically connected to the handle. This enables the USB port on the handle to be utilised to recharge the power pack and also enables the power stored in the power pack to be selectively used to energise the one or more heater elements of the handle and to illuminate the power light 285. As illustrated in Figure 3 an optional power switch 375 may also be provided on the shaft 320 of the walking stick. This is a mechanism to selectively determine if the switch element on the handle is usable to select the state of the heater. In this way, for example if the switch element 270 on the handle is a light detecting element which switches on the heater when light is occluded by a user’s hand, the heater does not turn on automatically during night time modes when the light level is naturally low. Rather the optional switch 375 can be utilised to override the handle switch to ensure that power is not supplied to the handle when not needed.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of them mean “including but not limited to” and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of the features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to any details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

The reader’s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A handle member for a portable device, comprising: a grippable body comprising a curved gripping surface at least partly locatable in a hand of a user; at least one heater element disposed in the grippable body for selectively heating at least a region of the gripping surface; and a handle switch element supported by the grippable body that selectively provides electrical power to the heater element to heat the gripping surface responsive to a user’s hand on the grippable body.

2. The handle member as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: the switch element is a manually actuated electro mechanical switch having a selectable on and off position selectable by hand.

3. The handle member as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: the switch element is a pressure switch having a fail-safe off position when a holding pressure provided by a hand on the grippable body is released.

4. The handle member as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: the switch element comprises a hand sensor element that provides power when a hand is detected proximate to the grippable body.

5. The handle member as claimed in claim 4 wherein the hand sensor element is a light sensitive detector that switches off when light is detected.

6. The handle member as claimed in claim 4 wherein the hand sensor element comprises a heat detecting element.

7. The handle member as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the switch element is located on an under surface of the grippable body.

8. The handle member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the switch element is located at an end region of the grippable body.

9. The handle member as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: a USB port for recharging an onboard power source of a portable device.

10. The handle member as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: at least one securing element for securing the grippable body to a portable device.

11. The handle member as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: a plurality of contact electrodes arranged to align with respective electrical elements carried by the portable device; wherein as the handle member is secured to the portable device the contact electrodes are arranged to make respective electrical connection simultaneously with an onboard power source carried by a portable device.

12. The handle member as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: the handle switch element, when electrically connected to the portable device, is arranged to receive power via a further switch element of the portable device.

13. A portable device comprising at least one handle member as claimed in any preceding claim.

14. The portable device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: the portable device is a walking stick or a walking frame or a pram/pushchair or a tool.

15. A method for warming at least one handle member of a portable device, comprising the steps of: responsive to a user’s hand on a grippable body of a handle member of a portable device, selecting a state of a handle switch element supported by the grippable body; and selectively heating at least a region of a curved gripping surface of the grippable body via at least one heater element disposed in the grippable body, responsive to said state.

16. Apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.