US20030213510A1

US20030213510A1 - Stirrup cane

Info

Publication number: US20030213510A1
Application number: US10/146,205
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul MacCready; Bart Hibbs; Taras Kiceniuk; Phillip Tokumaru; Thomas Zambrano
Original assignee: Aerovironment Inc
Current assignee: Aerovironment Inc
Priority date: 2002-05-14
Filing date: 2002-05-14
Publication date: 2003-11-20

Abstract

A cane and stirrup assembly comprising an upright cane having a lower portion, a stirrup located at one side of the cane lower portion, the stirrup including a first side having connection to the cane lower portion, a second side opposite the first side, and a lowermost support for the shoe or foot or sock of the user, and a brace attached to the stirrup second side and also operatively attached to the cane above a connection to transmit loading from the stirrup second side to the cane.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to devices to support a user's foot or leg, as during stepping or walking, and more particularly to improvements in canes that offer such auxiliary support.

There is continual and great need for equipment and devices to assist walking, on level surfaces, inclined surfaces, and up or down stairs. This need is acute when the user's leg, legs, knee or knees is or are weak or frail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a major object of the invention to provide improvement in canes to meet the above need, and particularly in canes which are associated with foot stirrups. Basically the invention concerns a cane and stirrup assembly that comprises:

a) an upright cane having a lower portion,

b) a stirrup located at one side of the cane lower portion, the stirrup including a first side having connection to the cane lower portion, a second side opposite the first side, and a lowermost support for the shoe or foot or sock of the user,

c) and a brace attached to the stirrup second side and also operatively attached to the cane above a connection to transmit loading from the stirrup second side to the cane.

It is another object to provide such an assembly wherein the stirrup has a primary upper part integral with said stirrup first side, and a secondary upper part integral with said stirrup second side, said primary and secondary upper parts having adjustable interconnection enabling adjustable fitting of the stirrup to the user's shoe or foot. The adjustable interconnection preferably includes interengagable hook and pile elements allowing adjustment of the stirrup size about the user's foot or shoe, the stirrup being flexible.

Yet another object includes providing the brace to extend over the interengagable elements, whereby load transmission via the stirrup can occur in an upright plane that includes the adjustment stirrup and its connection to the cane. One such brace comprises a strap conforming to the stirrup.

A yet further object is the provision of a sleeve on the cane lower extent to interact with the stirrup. In this regard, a looping part may extend about the lower portion of the cane, and fasten to the cane, the stirrup having connection to that looping part. An auxiliary strap may be provided to extend rearwardly of the stirrup to engage the user's shoe that projects from the stirrup, said auxiliary strap having one end operatively connected to the lower portion of the cane, and an opposite end operatively connected to the stirrup second side.

An additional object is the provision of a cane upper portion and a handle carrying sleeve that is supported on the cane upper portion to swivel about the cane and between selected positions.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is an elevation showing use of the device of the invention; [0012]
FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation taken on ines [0013] 2-2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a frontal elevation taken on lines [0014] 3-3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken on lines [0015] 4-4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on lines [0016] 5-5 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a horizontal plan view taken in section on lines [0017] 6-6 of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views showing use of the device in different can rotated positions; [0018]
FIG. 9 shows a modification employing an auxiliary strap.[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIGS. [0020] 1-8, a preferred cane and stirrup assembly includes an upright cane 10 having a lower portion 10 a. A stirrup 11 is located at one side of the cane lower portion 10 a, the stirrup including a first side 11 a with connection at 12 to the cane lower portion. The stirrup also has a second side, as at 11 b laterally opposite the first side 11 a, and a lowermost support 11 c for the shoe 13 or foot of the wearer. The sides 11 a and 11 b are preferably flexible, to conform at least in part to the shoe of the wearer. It may consist of leather or other durable sheet-like material. Open forward and rearward ends of the stirrup appear at 11 d and 11 e. A brace 13, such as a strap, is attached to the stirrup second side, at 13 a, and is also operatively attached to the cane at a location 13 b above the level of connector 12, whereby the brace acts as a tension force transmitting member, in use, when the cane is lifted, to also lift the stirrup and the user's shoe in the stirrup. Force is also transmitted between the stirrup and cane, via attachment at 12. That attachment may advantageously include a looping part 16 connected at 16 a by the first side 11 a of the stirrup, and also fastened to the cane as by a transverse fastener 18.
The stirrup preferably includes a primary upper part [0021] 11 f integral with first side 11 a, and a secondary upper part 11 q integral with the stirrup second side 11 b. Parts 11 f and 11 g extend freely, and their ends have adjustable interconnection at 20, enabling tightening or loosening of the stirrup about the user's shoe, or foot, or about a sock or other foot protector worn on the foot, as in case of foot injury. Interconnection 20 may include hook and pile components (VELCRO) on the parts 11 f and 11 g. The latter are typically band-like. Brace 13 preferably extends over the connection 20, whereby it tends to resist twisting of the stirrup outer portion or second side 11 b, out of forward alignment as established by the forward upright plane 22 of the operative connection of the stirrup to the cane, as may be established by connection 16 a and loop 16.
The assembly also includes a [0022] sleeve 24 received on the lower portion of the cane, and it may carry the upper connection of the brace, as shown by brace band 13 c looping about and connected to the upper extent of the sleeve which slidably fits on the cane lower portion 10 a. A brace length adjustment component, buckle etc., is provided at 13 d, between 13 a and 13 c.
The cane also has an upper portion [0023] 10 c onto which an upper sleeve 30 fits. A handle 31 is carried by the sleeve 30, and the sleeve can be swiveled about cane upper portion to adjust the angular position of the handle, relative to the stirrup, and between selected positions. Note the bottom or pin 32 that fits in registered openings 33 and 34 in the sleeve 31 and cane upper portion 10 c; and which can be pushed into opening 34 to allow sleeve lengthwise adjustment, as well as rotary adjustment, and button entry into another opening 33. Other selected openings lengthwise of the sleeve appear at 33 a and 33 b, as at opposite sides of the sleeve, to allow both lengthwise and rotary adjustment of the handle, relative to the stirrup. See in this regard FIGS. 7 and 8, showing the handle and cane at one side of the right foot shoe 42; and the handle and cane at the opposite side of the left foot shoe 43.
Sleeves [0024] 24 and 30 allow installation of the stirrup and handle adjustment on existing canes.

Claims

We claim:

1. A cane and stirrup assembly comprising:

a) an upright cane having a lower portion,

b) a stirrup located at one side of the cane lower portion, the stirrup including a first side having connection to the cane lower portion, a second side opposite said first side, and a lowermost support for the shoe or foot or sock of the user,

c) and a brace attached to the stirrup second side and also operatively attached to the cane above said connection to transmit loading from said stirrup second side to the cane.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said stirrup has a primary upper part integral with said stirrup first side, and a secondary upper part integral with said stirrup second side, said primary and secondary upper parts having adjustable interconnection enabling adjustable fitting of the stirrup to the user's shoe or foot.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said adjustable interconnection includes adjustably interengagable hook and pile components.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said brace extends over said adjustable interconnection.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said brace comprises a strap, extending over the adjustable interconnection of two flexible stirrup parts.

6. The assembly of claim 1 including a sleeve received on said lower portion of the cane, said brace having upper extent directly connected to the sleeve.

7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said strap has a length adjustment component.

8. The assembly of claim 6 including a looping part extending at the lower portion of the cane, below the strap, a fastener attaching said looping part to the cane lower portion, said looping part connected to said stirrup first side.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the cane has an upper portion, there being a handle carrying sleeve that is supported on the cane upper portion to swivel about the cane and between selected positions.

10. The assembly of claim 1 including an auxiliary strap extending rearwardly of the stirrup to engage the user's shoe that projects from the stirrup, said auxiliary strap having one end operatively connected to the lower portion of the cane, and an opposite end operatively connected to the stirrup second side.