JP4293804B2 - Self-supporting cane - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a self-supporting walking stick.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, once the stick is released, it will fall and it will be troublesome to wake up. Therefore, in view of the case where there is no place for the stick to stand up, there is a demand for a stick that can stand on its own. 8 and 9 are front views of a conventionally proposed self-supporting walking stick (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
This is a stick (1) provided with a gripping part (3) and a vertically long support bar (2) substantially orthogonal to the gripping part (3). A plurality of leg pieces (5) and (5) for supporting the door are provided to be freely opened and closed. The upper ends of the leg pieces (5) and (5) are pivotally supported (50) by a movable body (25) slidably fitted to the support bar (2), and the movable body (25 ) And a gripping part (3), a lock claw (26) is provided so as to be able to appear and retract. A hole (29) that fits into the lock claw (26) is formed at the upper end of the movable body (25).
A movable ring (27) and a ring (27a) are fitted to the lower end of the support rod (2), and the movable ring (27) and the ring (27a) are connected to the leg piece (5) and the connecting rod (55) ( 55) is pivotally connected to form a link mechanism. Between the movable ring (27) and the ring (27a), the sleeve (28) is fitted to the support rod (2), leg (5) in a state of (5) is open, the movable ring (27) and ring ( 27a) is in contact with the end of the sleeve (28). A compression spring (56) is provided between the movable ring (27) and the movable body (25). The ring (27a) is fixed to the support rod ( 2 ) .
[0003]
To close the leg piece (5) after the leg pieces (5) and (5) shown in FIG. 8 are opened, the movable body (25) is lifted by hand, and the lock claw (26) is inserted into the hole (29). Engage. As shown in FIG. 9, the lock claw (26) is hooked on the periphery of the hole (29), and the movable body (25) keeps the raised position. As the movable body (25) is raised, the leg piece (5) and the connecting rod (55) are closed, and the movable ring (27) is raised against the compression spring (56).
In order to open the leg piece (5), the lock claw (26) is pushed and the engagement with the hole (29) is released. The movable body (25) falls by its own weight. The movable ring (27) is pushed down by the restoring force of the compression spring (56), and the leg pieces (5) and (5) are opened. The movable ring (27) is in contact with the upper end of the sleeve (28), and the leg piece (5) is kept open, so that the walking stick (1) can stand on its own.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-119316 (FIGS. 1 and 2)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional walking stick (1), the locking claw (26) may be pushed to open the leg pieces (5) and (5). However, in order to close the leg piece (5), it is necessary to lift the movable body (25) with the other hand while holding the grip (3) with one hand and supporting the walking stick (1). That is, it is inconvenient to close the leg piece (5). Another problem is that the leg pieces (5) and (5) are exposed in a state in which the leg pieces (5) and (5) are closed, and the appearance is poor.
An object of the present invention is to provide a walking stick that can easily open and close the leg pieces (5) and (5). Another object of the present invention is to improve the appearance with the leg pieces (5) and (5) closed, and to avoid the danger caused by the exposure of the leg pieces (5).
[0006]
[Means for solving the problems]
An operating means is provided on the grip portion (3) of the stick (1). In the support bar (2), a support member (4) connected to the leg piece (5) is fitted so as to be movable up and down, and the lift shaft (8) is engaged with the lift shaft (8). A locking mechanism (6) that prevents the lowering of 8) and is disengaged by the first operation of the operating means.
The operation means is connected to the support member (4), and the support member (4) moves up and down along the lifting shaft (8) by the second operation of the operation means.
The support member (4) has a first position where the lock mechanism (6) engages with the lifting shaft (8) and the leg piece (5) is housed in the support rod (2), and the first of the operating means. A second position where the leg piece (5) protrudes from the support bar (2) and the leg piece (5) protrudes from the support rod (2) with the lifting shaft (8) released from the engagement with the lock mechanism (6) by the operation, and the operating means. Ascending by the second operation, the third position where the leg piece (5) is opened is taken.
[0007]
[Action and effect]
When the walking stick is not self- supporting The support member (4) is in the first position, and the lock mechanism (6) engages with the lifting shaft (8) to prevent the lifting shaft (8) from descending. The leg piece (5) is accommodated in the support bar (2). Thereby, the leg piece (5) is not visible from the outside of the stick (1), and the appearance is improved. Further, since the leg piece (5) is housed in the support bar (2), it is possible to prevent a danger that the leg piece (5) is exposed, for example, the possibility that the leg piece (5) is caught on clothes.
When the walking stick is self-supporting The operating button (7), which is an operating means, is first operated, specifically, pressed to disengage the locking mechanism (6) from the lifting shaft (8). The support member (4) descends together with the lifting shaft (8) to the second position, and the leg piece (5) protrudes from the support bar (2). In this state, when the operation button (7) is operated for the second operation, specifically, sliding, the support member (4) connected to the operation button (7) is raised and the leg piece (5) is opened.
When retracting the leg piece from the self-supporting state When the gripping part (3) is lifted, the leg piece is automatically closed by the weight of the support member (4). Put the lower ends of the closed leg pieces (5) and (5) against the ground, and push the support bar (2) downward. The support member (4) and the lift shaft (8) are housed in the support rod (2) from the second position, and the lock mechanism (6) and the lift shaft (8) are engaged. The support member (4) and the lifting shaft (8) return to the first position.
That is, the leg pieces (5) and (5) can be opened and closed by pressing and sliding the operation button (7) while holding the grip (3) with one hand. The leg pieces (5) and (5) can be accommodated in the support rod (2) while holding the grip portion (3) with one hand. Thereby, the opening / closing operation of the leg pieces (5) and (5) is facilitated as compared with the conventional configuration (see FIG. 8).
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(overall structure)
Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 (a), 1 (b) and 2 are perspective views of the walking stick (1). The walking stick (1) includes a gripping portion (3) and a vertically long support rod (2) substantially orthogonal to the gripping portion (3). ) Is provided. The operation button (7) is slidably fitted into the long hole (34) opened in the grip portion (3).
As shown in FIG. 1 (a), the leg pieces (5) and (5) are projected and retracted from the lower surface of the stone thruster (10), and the leg pieces (5) and (5) are closed and protruded. ) And press the lower ends of the leg pieces (5) and (5) against the ground, the leg pieces (5) retract as shown in FIG. 1 (b). When the operation button (7) is pressed from the state in which the leg piece (5) is retracted, the closed leg piece (5) protrudes from the lower surface of the stone thruster (10).
Further, when the operation button (7) is slid along the long hole (34) in a state where the closed leg piece (5) protrudes from the lower surface of the stone bump (10), as shown in FIG. (5) (5) opens. When the leg pieces (5) and (5) are placed on the ground, the walking stick (1) can stand on its own.
[0009]
Below, the structure which opens and closes a leg piece (5) (5) is shown.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the internal configuration of the stick (1), and shows a state in which the leg piece (5) is housed in the support bar (2). The grip portion (3) is configured by providing a grip base (30) in a cover (33) that is touched by the user's hand, and the operation button (7) is pivotally supported by the grip base (30) (32 ) Is slidably provided on the lever (31) and protrudes from the cover (33). The operation button (7) is urged rearward, that is, in a direction opposite to B in FIG. 3 by a tension spring (not shown). The lever (31) is urged upward by a spring (not shown) fitted to the pivot (32), so that the operation button (7) can appear and disappear from the cover (33).
A first elevating shaft (8) and a second elevating shaft (9) that are substantially parallel to each other are provided in the support rod (2). A support member (4) provided with the leg pieces (5) and (5) so as to be openable and closable is attached to a lower end portion of the first elevating shaft (8) so as to be movable up and down by a certain length as described later. The second elevating shaft (9) is suspended from the lever (31), and the first elevating shaft (8) is fitted to the second elevating shaft (9) via the fitting ring (90) so as to be movable up and down. A compression spring (91) is fitted on the second elevating shaft (9) between the fitting ring (90) and the gripping base (30), and the compression ring (90) and the fitting ring (90) and The first lifting shaft (8) is biased downward.
[0010]
On the first elevating shaft (8), a weight (80) having a hook (81) at its upper end and an engaging piece (82) are attached, and the engaging piece (82) is placed in the cylindrical body (20). It is loosely fitted. The cylindrical body (20) is suspended from the grip base (30) via the support steel wire (21), and does not move up and down in the support rod (2).
A locking lever (60) is pivotally supported on the projecting piece (22) extending from the side surface of the cylindrical body (20), and the locking lever (60) is provided by a leaf spring (not shown) provided on the pivotal support portion. Is biased toward the cylinder (20). The distal end of the locking lever (60) is engaged with the engaging piece (82) through a slit (not shown) provided on the side surface of the cylindrical body (20). In other words, the locking lever (60) and the engaging piece (82) constitute a lock mechanism (6) that regulates the lowering of the first elevating shaft (8).
The locking lever (60) is in contact with the lower end of the second lifting / lowering shaft (9). When the lever (31) and the second lifting / lowering shaft (9) are lowered by the pressing operation of the operation button (7), the locking lever (60) rotates to disengage the engaging piece (82). Since the weight (80) is provided on the first lifting shaft (8), the first lifting shaft (8) can be smoothly lowered.
One of the cylinder (20) and the weight (80) is made of iron, and the other is made of a magnet. As will be described later, the weight (80) and the cylinder (20) are sucked together while the first lifting shaft (8) and the weight (80) are lowered, and the lowering position of the first lifting shaft (8) is maintained. . In FIG. 3, the support steel wire (21) passes through the fitting ring (90), but this prevents the support steel wire (21) from inadvertently moving in the support rod (2). It is bundled as much as possible.
[0011]
The support member (4) is connected to the operation button (7) via a wire (70). When the operation button (7) is moved forward, that is, when slid in the direction of arrow B in FIG. ), The support member (4) rises. As the support member (4) rises, the leg piece (5) opens as described later. In addition, the wire (70) is loose in the state where the leg piece (5) is housed in the support bar (2).
4A and 4B are side views of the support member 4 viewed from the direction A in FIG. 3, and the support member 4 is indicated by a one-dot chain line. The support member (4) has a cylindrical shape, and a mounting piece (85) provided at the lower end of the first elevating shaft (8) is fitted therein. A leg piece (5) is pivotally supported (50) at the lower end portion of the attachment piece (85), and the pivotal support portion (50) is fitted into a first through hole (40) provided in the support member (4). .
On the first elevating shaft (8), a stop plate (86) is attached above the support member (4), and a protrusion (87) protrudes laterally from the stop plate (86). On the side surface of the support member (4), a second through hole (41) extending vertically is formed above the first through hole (40). As shown in FIG. ) Is in contact with the upper end of the second through hole (41) when the leg piece (5) is closed. Accordingly, the support member (4) is restricted from falling down, and the support member (4) can be raised and lowered by the vertical width of the second through hole (41). The protrusion (87) comes into contact with the lower end of the second through hole (41), and an appropriate open state of the leg pieces (5) (5) is set.
One end of the connecting rod (42) is pivotally supported on the side surface of the support member (4), and the other end of the connecting rod (42) is pivotally supported on the leg piece (5).
[0012]
When the operation button (7) is moved forward and the wire (70) is pulled upward as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the support member (4) is raised. The leg piece (5) is pulled upward by the connecting rod (42) and pivots upward. Since the pivot (50) of the leg piece (5) is fitted in the first through hole (40), it does not obstruct the rotation of the leg piece (5). Thus, the leg piece (5) is opened and the walking stick (1) can stand on its own.
[0013]
As described above, the leg pieces (5) and (5) are initially accommodated in the support rod (2), and the first elevating shaft (8) is restricted from being lowered by the lock mechanism (6).
(Leg piece protrusion)
The procedure for opening and closing the leg piece (5) will be described below. In order to open the leg piece (5), the leg piece (5) is first protruded from the lower surface of the stone thruster (10).
FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which the closed leg piece (5) protrudes from the lower surface of the stone bump (10), and FIGS. 6 (a), (b) and (c) show the engagement piece (82). FIG. 6 is a front view showing engagement and disengagement operations between the engagement lever and the locking lever (60). When the user grips the grip portion (3) and presses the operation button (7) and the lever (31) downward, the lower end of the second lifting shaft (9) is moved from the state shown in FIG. Press (60) to rotate counterclockwise. The locking lever (60) temporarily lifts the engaging piece (82) as shown in FIG. 6 (b), but as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the engaging lever (60) and the engaging piece (82). When the contact is released, the engaging piece (82) and the first elevating shaft (8) are lowered by the pressing force of the compression spring (91), the weight of the weight (80), and its own weight. The support member (4) is lowered together with the first elevating shaft (8), and the leg piece (5) protrudes from the lower surface of the stone thrusting (10) as shown in FIG. Since the wire (70) was initially slack, it does not interfere with the lowering of the support member (4). The rod (81) of the weight (80) comes into contact with the upper surface of the cylindrical body (20) and stops descending. As described above, one of the weight (80) and the cylinder (20) is made of iron and the other is made of a magnet. Thereby, the first elevating shaft (8) is kept in the lowered state, and the leg piece (5) is kept in the protruding state even when an impact is applied to the support rod (2) from the outside.
[0014]
(Leg piece opening / closing operation)
In order to make the walking stick (1) self-supporting, as shown in FIG. 7, the operation button (7) is moved forward from the state in which the leg piece (5) is protruded from the lower surface of the stone thrusting (10) (arrow in FIG. 3). B). The wire (70) is pulled, and the support member (4) rises along the first lifting shaft (8). As shown in FIGS. 4B and 7, the leg pieces 5 and 5 are opened. If the walking stick (1) is placed on the ground as it is, the walking stick (1) can stand on its own by the leg pieces (5) and (5).
To close the leg piece (5), lift the walking stick (1). The operation button (7) is retracted by the restoring force of the tension spring. The tension state of the wire (70) is relaxed, and the support member (4) is lowered by its own weight. As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the connecting rod (42) and the leg piece (5) are closed, resulting in the state shown in FIG. That is, the leg pieces (5) and (5) can be opened and closed by pressing and sliding the operation button (7) while holding the grip (3) with one hand. Thereby, the opening / closing operation of the leg pieces (5) and (5) is facilitated as compared with the conventional configuration (see FIG. 8).
[0015]
(Leg piece storage)
To store the leg pieces (5) and (5) in the support bar (2), with the leg pieces (5) and (5) closed, the walking stick (1) is lowered and the lower end of the leg piece (5) is lowered. Hit the ground. The grip part (3) and the support bar (2) are pushed down as they are. Since the leg piece (5) is pivotally supported (50) by the attachment piece (85), the first elevating shaft (8) does not move up and down and the cylindrical body (20) is lowered. The weight (80) and the cylinder (20) are disengaged against the suction force, and the engaging piece (82) is hooked on the locking lever (60). As shown in FIG. 3, the leg piece (5) is housed in the support bar (2) and returns to its original state. That is, if the holding part (3) is grasped with one hand, the lower end of the leg piece (5) is applied to the ground, and the support bar (2) is pushed in, the leg piece (5) can be stored in the support bar (2). Thus, the leg piece (5) can be stored in the support rod (2) with one hand, which is convenient compared to the conventional configuration (see FIG. 8). In addition, since the leg piece (5) is housed in the support rod (2), the leg pieces (5) and (5) are not exposed in appearance and look good. Further, since the leg piece (5) is housed in the support rod (2), it is possible to prevent a danger that the leg piece (5) is exposed, for example, a possibility that the leg piece (5) is caught on clothes.
[0016]
The applicant assumes a wire with a diameter of 1.4 mm as the first lifting shaft (8), but the first lifting shaft (8) should not be bent by the opening and closing operation of the leg piece (5). It is not limited to this diameter. The wire 70 is assumed to be an inner cable with a diameter of 0.6 mm, but is not limited to this.
[0017]
The above description of the embodiments is for explaining the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention described in the claims or reducing the scope thereof. In addition, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims.
Of course, the contents of the present application can also be applied to an umbrella that can be used as a stick. Further, the engaging piece (82) may be removed and the locking lever (60) may be directly engaged with the first elevating shaft (8).
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a walking stick, FIG. 1A shows a state in which a closed leg piece protrudes, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which the leg piece is housed in a support bar. Show.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a walking stick, showing a state in which a leg piece is opened.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the internal structure of the walking stick, showing a state where the leg pieces are housed in the support rod.
4 (a) and 4 (b) are side views of the support member as viewed from the direction A in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which the closed leg piece protrudes from the lower surface of the stone bump.
FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C are front views showing engagement and disengagement operations of the engagement piece and the locking lever. FIGS.
FIG. 7 is a front view showing a walking stick with a leg piece opened.
FIG. 8 is a front view of a conventional walking stick and shows a state in which a leg piece is opened.
FIG. 9 is a front view of a conventional walking stick and shows a state in which a leg piece is closed.
[Explanation of symbols]
(2) Support rod
(3) Grip part
(4) Support member
(5) Leg piece
(6) Walking stick
(7) Operation buttons
(8) First lifting shaft
(9) Second lifting shaft
(20) Tube
(42) Linkage
(50) pivot
(80) Weight
(85) Mounting piece

Claims (3)

In a stick having a support rod (2) provided with leg pieces (5) and (5) so as to be freely opened and closed, and a gripping portion (3),
An operating means is provided on the grip portion (3),
In the support bar (2), a support member (4) connected to the leg piece (5) is fitted so as to be movable up and down, and the lift shaft (8) is engaged with the lift shaft (8). A locking mechanism (6) that prevents the lowering of 8) and is disengaged by the first operation of the operating means;
The operating means is connected to the supporting member (4), and the supporting member (4) is moved up and down along the lifting shaft (8) by the second operation of the operating means,
The support member (4) has a first position where the lock mechanism (6) engages with the lifting shaft (8) and the leg piece (5) is housed in the support rod (2), and the first of the operating means. A second position where the leg piece (5) protrudes from the support bar (2) and the leg piece (5) protrudes from the support rod (2) with the lifting shaft (8) released from the engagement with the lock mechanism (6) by the operation, and the operating means. The walking stick is raised by the second operation and takes a third position where the leg piece (5) is opened. On the first elevating shaft (8), there is provided a weight (80) for smoothly lowering the elevating shaft (8), and a cylindrical body (20) for receiving the lowered weight (80) in the support rod (2). The walking stick according to claim 1, wherein the weight (80) and the cylinder (20) are sucked together to keep the lifting shaft (8) in a lowered state. The leg piece (5) is pivotally supported (50) by an attachment piece (85) provided on the elevating shaft (8) and fitted in the support member (4). The walking stick according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the walking stick is connected at the same time.

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