Walking cane

Abstract

This invention is for a walking cane having three handles to assist a disabled person after an accidental fall to the ground to enable him or her to rise using the three handles of the cane in an erect or upright position after he or she has fallen and to assist him or her to continue walking or to seek additional assistance if necessary.

Claims

1. A walking cane for an invalid person comprising an elongated tubular shaft having an upper end and a bottom end, said upper end having a first handle extending to the left and horizontally from said upper end, a four-pronged footage attached to said bottom end, a first curved extension from an upper portion of said elongated shaft, said first curved extension having a second handle horizontally oriented with respect to said elongated shaft, a second curved extension positioned below said first curved extension and spaced from said four-pronged footage at said bottom end and said second curved extension, said second curved extension being oriented opposite to said first curved section and said second curved extension having a third handle horizontally oriented with respect to said elongated shaft, said elongated shaft has a tubular member telescopically inserted into the bottom end of said elongated tubular shaft, each of said elongated tubular shaft and tubular member having a plurality of holes therein to adjust the operable length of said walking cane and said tubular member being fixedly attached to said four-pronged footage.

2. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second curved extensions have substantially the same configuration and are substantially the same size.

3. A walking cane as recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second curved extensions have substantially a gooseneck configuration.

4. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said handles is padded for comfort to said invalid person when grasped by a preselected hand of said invalid person.

5. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated shaft has a bottom tubular section insertable within said bottom end of said elongated tubular shaft and fixed adjustably therein.

6. A walking cane as recited in claim 4 wherein a bottom portion of said elongated tubular shaft has a plurality of holes which are receptive to a spring-loaded pushbutton for adjusting the height of said walking cane.

7. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated tubular shaft, said bottom tubular member and said four-pronged footage and are made from a sturdy metal.

8. A walking cane as recited in claim 7 wherein said metal is aluminum or anodized aluminum.

9. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said first, second and third handles are padded with plastic or foam rubber.

10. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated tubular shaft has an imaginary straight line extending from its upper end to its bottom end whereby said first and second extensions are aligned therefrom.

11. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said second handle is spaced from said first handle by approximately 4 inches.

12. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first, second and third handles has approximately the same length.

13. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein the invalid person is right-handed, said first curved extension being oriented to the left of said elongated tubular shaft and said second curved extension being oriented to the right of said elongated tubular shaft.

14. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein the invalid person is left-handed, said first curved extension being oriented to the right of said elongated tubular shaft and said second curved extension being oriented to the left of said elongated tubular shaft.

15. A walking cane as recited in claim 7 wherein said four-pronged footage has four legs with rubber tips.

16. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated tubular shaft has a first straight section between said first handle and said first curved extension, a second straight section between said first curved extension and said second handle, a third straight section between an end of said second curved extension and an end of said bottom end of said tubular shaft and wherein all three straight sections are aligned along an imaginary straight vertical line passing through the centers of each straight section.

17. A walking cane as recited in claim 1 wherein said operable length of said walking cane includes a spring-loaded push button inserted into pre-selected corresponding holes in said elongated tubular shaft and said tubular member, whereby said walking cane can be adjusted a predetermined height up or down.

18. A walking can as recited in claim 1 wherein each handle is approximately 4 to 5 inches in length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the walking cane of this invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the first embodiment of the walking cane of this invention.

[0008] FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of the walking cane of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The first embodiment of this invention is a walking cane used by a right-handed invalid person as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The walking cane 1 has a shaft 2 with an upper handle 3 at the top end of the shaft 2. The shaft 2 has a first straight section 2a joined below by a first curved (goose like) section 2b which extends to the left of section 2a of the shaft 2. The first curved section 2b has a second handle 4 for gripping by the right-handed invalid person. The first curved section 2b is joined below to a second straight section 2c of the shaft 2. The second straight section 2c is joined below to a second curved (goose like) section 2d which extends to the right of the shaft 2. The second curved section 2d has a third handle 5 for gripping by the right-handed invalid person. The second curved section 2d is joined below to a straight section 2e of the shaft 2 Each of the handles 3, 4 and 5 may be padded with rubber or plastic. The length of each handle 3, 4, and 5 is approximately 4% to 5 inches. The straight section 2e has a plurality of longitudinally spaced aligned holes 2h. An elongated straight tubular member 6 is telescopically inserted into the tubular straight aligned along section 2e. All three straight sections 2d, 2c and 2e are aligned along a straight imaginary vertical line passing through the centers of each straight section. Tubular member 6 also has a plurality of longitudinally spaced aligned holes 6h which are used to adjust the height or length of the walking cane 1 in conjunction with a spring-loaded push button 7 as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,115. The bottom end of the tubular member 6 is welded to the quad plate support 8 and the four tubular legs 9 are welded to the bottom side of the quad plate support 8. The cane 1 and its sections as well as the quad plate support 8 and four legs 9 are made from a sturdy metal such as aluminum or anodized aluminum. Each of the legs 9 are encapsulated with rubber tips 10. The walking cane shaft 2 is approximately 27 in length, the first straight section 2a is approximately 4 inches long, the straight sections 2c and 2e are each approximately 5-6 inches, the straight tubular section 6 is approximately 5-6 inches and the quad plate 8, which is rectangular in shape, is approximately 3 square inches. The overall height of the walking cane 1 varies from approximately 34 inches plus or minus 2 inches depending upon the height of the invalid person and, therefore, the positioning of the tubular member 6 within the tubular straight section 2e.

[0010] In the situation when the right-handed invalid person has fallen to the ground, he or she grasps the third handle 5 with his/her right hand and raises himself/herself slightly off the ground. Then the invalid person grasps the second handle 4 with his/her left hand and raises himself/herself higher from the ground. Finally, the invalid person grasps the upper handle 3 with his/her right hand and raises himself/herself to an erect or upright position so that he or she can continue walking or call someone for help, if needed, either by cell phone or by voice.

[0011] The second embodiment of this invention, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, is a walking cane 1 for use by a left-handed invalid person. The second embodiment of this invention for a left-handed person is similar to that of the first embodiment for a right-handed person except that the first and second curved sections are oriented opposite to those in the first embodiment. The reference numbers in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 are the same as those shown in the FIG. 2 embodiment,

[0012] In the situation when the left-handed invalid person has fallen to the ground, he or she grasps the third handle 5 with his/her left hand and raises himself/herself slightly off the ground. Then the left-handed invalid person grasps the second handle 4 with his/her right hand and raises himself/herself higher from the ground. Finally, the left-handed invalid person grasps the upper handle 3 with his/her left hand and raises himself/herself to an erect or upright position so that he or she can continue walking or call someone for help, if needed, either by cell phone or by voice.

[0013] Modification of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the walking cane art and it is intended that the invention be not limited by the embodiments disclosed herein but that the scope of the invention be defined by the appended claims.