Cane Tip Attachment for a Safety Cane

Abstract

A cane tip has a first roller and second roller, each roller having a semispherical exterior surface with a peripheral edge surface having a circular configuration. The peripheral edge surfaces are designed to engage with and roll over a support surface when the cane tip is being moved forwardly and rearwardly to reduce impact forces from being transmitted up the cane to the user's hand and arm. The spherical exterior surfaces are designed to engage with and roll over the support surface when the cane tip is moved from side to side while reducing impact forces from traveling up the cane to the hand and arm of a user of the cane tip.

Claims

1. A cane tip comprising: a base, the base having an attachment projection that is configured to be attachable to a distal end of a cane, the attachment projection having a projection axis that is positioned coaxial with a center axis of a cane when the attachment projection is attached to a distal end of the cane; an axle on the base, the axle having an axle axis that is perpendicular to the projection axis; and a roller, the roller having an exterior surface that is configured to engage against and move across a support surface supporting a user of the cane tip, the roller being mounted on the axle for rotation of the roller on the axle and rotation of the exterior surface of the roller around the axle axis.

2. The cane tip of claim 1, further comprising: the roller having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge having a circular configuration that is concentric with the axel axis.

3. The cane tip of claim 2, further comprising: the roller being a first roller; a second roller, the second roller having an exterior surface that is configured to engage against and move across a support surface supporting a user of the cane tip, the second roller being mounted on the axle for rotation of the second roller on the axle and rotation of the exterior surface of the second roller around the axle.

4. The cane tip of claim 3, further comprising: the second roller having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the second roller having a circular configuration that is concentric with the axle axis; the peripheral edge of the first roller being positioned in a first plane; the peripheral edge of the second roller being positioned in a second plane; and the first plane and the second plane being parallel.

5. The cane tip of claim 4, further comprising: an axial spacing between the peripheral edge of the first roller in the first plane and the peripheral edge of the second roller in the second plane; and the base being positioned in the axial spacing between the peripheral edge of the first roller in the first plane and the peripheral edge of the second roller in the second plane.

6. The cane tip of claim 3, further comprising: the axle being separate from the base and being mounted on the base for rotation of the axle on the base, the axle having a first distal end projecting from a first side of the base and the axle having a second distal end projecting from a second side of the base; the first roller being mounted on the first distal end of the axle on the first side of the base; and the second roller being mounted on the second distal end of the axle on the second side of the base.

7. The cane tip of claim 1, further comprising: the attachment projection being mounted on the base for rotation of the attachment projection around the projection axis relative to the base.

8. The cane tip of claim 1, further comprising: the attachment projection being attached to a distal end of a white cane.

9. A cane tip comprising: a base, the base having an attachment projection that is configured to be attachable to a distal end of a cane, the attachment projection having a projection axis that is positioned coaxial with a center axis of a cane when the attachment projection is attached to a distal end of the cane; an axle on the base, the axle having an axle axis that is perpendicular to the projection axis; and a roller, the roller having an exterior surface with a spherical configuration, the roller being mounted on the axle for rotation of the roller with the axle.

10. The cane tip of claim 9, further comprising: the spherical configuration of the roller having a center axis that is concentric with the axel axis.

11. The cane tip of claim 10, further comprising: the roller being comprised of a first roller and a second roller; the first roller and the second roller having semispherical configurations that together define the spherical configuration of the exterior surface of the roller; and the first roller and the second roller being mounted on the axle for rotation of the first roller and the second roller with the axle.

12. The cane tip of claim 11, further comprising: the first roller having a peripheral edge around the semispherical configuration of the first roller, the peripheral edge of the first roller having a circular configuration that is concentric with the axle axis; the second roller having a peripheral edge around the semispherical configuration of the second roller, the peripheral edge of the second roller having a circular configuration that is concentric with the axle axis; the peripheral edge of the first roller being positioned in a first plane; the peripheral edge of the second roller being positioned in a second plane; and the first plane and the second plane being parallel.

13. The cane tip of claim 12, further comprising: an axial spacing between the peripheral edge of the first roller in the first plane and the peripheral edge of the second roller in the second plane; and the base being positioned in the axial spacing between the peripheral edge of the first roller in the first plane and the peripheral edge of the second roller in the second plane.

14. The cane tip of claim 13, further comprising: the axle being separate from the base and being mounted on the base for rotation of the axle on the base, the axle having a first distal end projecting from a first side of the base and the axle having a second distal end projecting from a second side of the base; the first roller being mounted on the first distal end of the axle on the first side of the base; and the second roller being mounted on the second distal end of the axle on the second side of the base.

15. The cane tip of claim 9, further comprising: the attachment projection being mounted on the base for rotation of the attachment projection around the projection axis relative to the base.

16. The cane tip of claim 9, further comprising: the attachment projection being attached to a distal end of a white cane.

17. A cane tip attachment to a cane comprising: a cane; a cane tip that is attachable to a lower end of the cane; the cane tip being comprised of a first roller with a semispherical configuration and a second roller with a semispherical configuration; an axle secured to the first roller and the second roller, the axle holding the first roller and the second roller in a spherical configuration, the first roller and the second roller being rotatable on the axle.

18. The cane tip of claim 17, further comprising: the cane tip being attachable to an elastic cord provided at the lower end of the cane.

19. The cane tip of claim 17, further comprising: the cane tip being secured by a screw threaded connection to the lower end of the cane.

20. The cane tip of claim 17, further comprising: a first peripheral gasket around the semispherical configuration of the first roller; and a second peripheral gasket around the semispherical configuration of the second roller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further objects and features of the swivel ball attachment or cane tip of this disclosure are set forth in the following detailed description and in the drawing figures.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a representation of a perspective view of the cane tip of this disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a representation of a front elevation view of the cane tip of FIG. 1, with it understood that the rear elevation view of the cane tip is a substantial mirror image thereof.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a representation of a cross section view of the cane tip of FIG. 2.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a representation of a right side elevation view of the cane tip of FIG. 2, with it understood that the left side elevation view of the cane tip is a substantial mirror image thereof.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a representation of a bottom plan view of the cane tip of FIG. 2.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a representation of a top plan view of the cane tip of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 is a representation of a perspective view of the cane tip 10 of this disclosure. As represented in FIG. 1, the cane tip 10 has the appearance of a swivel ball construction. The cane tip 10 is basically constructed of a base 12, an axle 14, and a roller 16 or rollers 16, 18. Each of the component parts of the cane tip 10 to be described is constructed of a material that provides the cane tip with sufficient structural strength for functioning in its intended manner.

[0036] The base 12 has a cylindrical construction at its top end as represented in FIGS. 1-4. The cylindrical construction defines a hollow socket 22 having a top opening 24 into an interior of the socket. The cylindrical construction of the socket 22 has a vertically oriented center axis 26. From the socket 22 the base 12 extends downward to a cylindrical tube 28 at the bottom of the base. The tube 28 has an interior bore extending through the tube with a horizontally oriented center axis 32.

[0037] The base has a support shaft or attachment projection 34 that is mounted in the base socket 22 by a bearing assembly 36. The attachment projection 34 extends upward from the socket 22 and the base 12. The base socket 22 and bearing assembly 36 position a center axis 26 of the attachment projection coaxially with and as the same axis 26 of the socket 22. The bearing assembly 36 enables the attachment projection to rotate relative to the base 12 about the axis 26. The upper end of the attachment projection 34 is configured to be attachable to the distal end or lower end of a cane, such as a white cane represented by the dashed lines 38 of FIG. 3. In one example, the attachment projection 34 is configured to be removably attachable to the distal end or lower end of a cane such as the cane disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,898,406, which is incorporated herein by reference. As represented in FIGS. 1-4, the attachment projection is configured with a hook that is removably attachable to a bungee type cord or elastic cord such as that disclosed in the referenced patent. Alternatively, the attachment projection could be configured with another equivalent type of attachment feature, for example a screw threaded connection that is removably attachable to the distal end or lower end of a cane 38. The attachment projection attached to the cane positions the attachment projection 34 and the base socket axis 26 coaxially with and as a same axis as the center axis 26 of the cane.

[0038] The axle 14 is on the base 12 below the attachment projection 34. The axle 14 could be an integral part of the base 12, or could be a separate part from the base 12 as represented in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 the axle 14 is a separate part from the base 12 and is shown mounted in the base tube 28 by a pair of bearing assemblies 42. The axle 14 has a center axis 32 that is coaxial with and the same center axis 32 of the tube 28. The center axis 32 of the tube 28 and the axle 14 is perpendicular with the axis 26 of the socket 22 and the attachment projection 34. The axle 14 mounted by the bearing assemblies 42 in the tube 28 of the base 12 is rotatable in the tube 28 relative to the base 12. The axle 14 mounted in the tube 28 has a first distal end 44 that projects from a first side 46 of the base 12 or the left side of the base in FIG. 3, and a second distal end 48 that projects from a second side 52 of the base 12 or the right side of the base in FIG. 3.

[0039] As stated earlier, the cane tip 10 is comprised of a roller that in turn is comprised of a pair of rollers or a first roller 16 and a second roller eighteen. The first roller 16 and the second roller 18 are substantial mirror images of each other, therefore only the first roller 16 is described in detail herein. Reference numbers used in the description of the first roller 16 also label the second roller 18, with the reference numbers of the second roller 18 followed by a prime (′).

[0040] The first roller 16 is mounted on the axle first distal end 44 for rotation of the first roller with the axle. The second roller 18 is mounted on the axle second distal end 48 for rotation of the second roller with the axle. Alternatively, the first roller 16 and the second roller 18 could rotate relative to the axle 14.

[0041] The first roller 16 and the second roller 18 each have an exterior surface 54, 54′ that has a hemispherical or semispherical configuration. Together, the exterior surfaces 54, 54′ of the first roller 16 and second roller 18 give the roller a spherical configuration. As explained herein, the exterior surfaces 54, 54′ give the roller an exterior surface that is configured to engage against and move across a support surface supporting a user of the cane tip 10, with the roller being rotatable about the center axis 26 of a cane 38 to which the tip 10 is attached, and about the center axis 32 of the axle 14 of the cane tip.

[0042] The exterior surface 54 of first roller 16 has a peripheral edge surface 56 that extends around the semispherical configuration of the exterior surface. The peripheral edge surface 56 of the first roller 16 has a circular configuration that is concentric with the axle axis 26. The circular configuration of the first roller peripheral edge surface 56 basically defines a wheel that is rotatable about the axle axis 26. The peripheral edge surface 56 is basically designed to engage with and roll over a support surface when the cane tip 10 is being moved forwardly and rearwardly and to reduce impact forces from being transmitted up the cane to the user's hand and arm.

[0043] The spherical exterior surface 54 of the first roller 16 is basically designed to engage with and roll over the support surface when the cane tip 10 is moved from side to side. The spherical configuration of the combined, side by side arrangement of the first roller 16 and second roller 18 enables the cane tip 10 to travel over surfaces while reducing impact forces from traveling up the cane to the hand and arm of a user of the cane tip.

[0044] The peripheral edge surface 56 of the first roller 16 is positioned in a first plane 58. The first plane 58 is parallel with the axis 26 of the base socket 22, the attachment projection 34 and the cane 38 when the cane tip 10 is attached to the cane. As represented in FIG. 3, the second roller 18 also has a peripheral edge surface 54′ that is positioned in a second plane 58′ that is parallel with and spaced from the first plane 58.

[0045] As represented in FIG. 3, there is an axial spacing between the peripheral edge 56 of the first roller 16 in the first plane 58 and the peripheral edge 56′ of the second roller 18 and the second plane 58′. The base 12 extends through the axial spacing between the first peripheral edge 56 of the first roller in the first plane 58 and the second peripheral edge 56′ of the second roller 18 in the second plane 58′.

[0046] In an embodiment of the cane tip, circular gaskets or seals are provided on the opposing surfaces of the first peripheral edge 56 and the second peripheral edge 56′. The gaskets or seals function as a barrier to dirt and keep dirt or other debris from entering the axial space between the first roller 16 and second roller 18 and possibly effecting the performance of the pair of bearing assemblies 42. The rotation of the gaskets or seals on the opposing surfaces of the first peripheral edge 56 and the second peripheral edge 56′ across the opposite sides of the base 12 cleans the dirt or other debris from the gaskets or seals.

[0047] In a further embodiment of the cane tip, a hemispherical cover extends from the base 12 over top portions of the first roller 16 and second roller 18 as represented by the dashed lines 62 in FIG. 3. The cover 62 provides further protection of the rollers 16, 18 from dirt or debris entering the axial space between the rollers.

[0048] As changes and variations could be made to the above described cane tip without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter included in the above description and in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and that the scope of the invention be interpreted and defined by the appended claims.