End cap structure for cane/crutch/trekking pole

Abstract

An end cap structure for a cane/crutch/trekking pole includes a main body, an elastic interlayer, and a bottom layer. The elastic interlayer is disposed between the main body and the bottom layer to ensure the structural strength of the end cap. When the user swings the cane/crutch/trekking pole in all directions, the whole underside of the bottom layer is kept in contact with the ground due to the elastic interlayer to ensure that the anti-slip function is not affected, thereby improving the safety of the product when in use.

Claims

1. An end cap structure for a cane, comprising: a main body having a top end recessed with a receiving hole and an underside having a center from which a first protrusion integrally extends in an axial direction, the underside of the main body having a bottom planar surface surrounding the first protrusion; an elastic interlayer having a top attached to the underside of the main body and an underside opposite to the top in the axial direction, wherein the top of the elastic interlayer has a center in which a top cavity is formed and extends in the axial direction to receive the first protrusion of the main body in the axial direction so as to have the elastic interlayer and the main body centered with respect to each other and the underside of the elastic interlayer has a center in which a bottom cavity is formed and extends in the axial direction, the top of the elastic interlayer having a top planar surface surrounding the top cavity of the elastic interlayer, the top planar surface of the elastic interlayer being in direct surface contact engagement with the bottom planar surface of the main body, the underside of the elastic interlayer having a bottom planar surface surrounding the bottom cavity; and a bottom layer having a top attached to the underside of the elastic interlayer, wherein the top of the bottom layer has a center from which a second protrusion integrally extends in the axial direction, the top of the bottom layer having a top planar surface surrounding the second protrusion, the second protrusion of the bottom layer being received in the bottom cavity of the elastic interlayer so as to have the bottom layer and the elastic interlayer centered with respect to each other, the top planar surface of the bottom layer being in direct surface contact engagement with the bottom planar surface of the elastic interlayer, wherein the main body and the first protrusion are integrally formed of a first material; the bottom layer and the second protrusion are integrally formed of the first material; and the elastic interlayer is formed of a second material that is different from the first material, wherein a circumferential portion of the elastic interlayer that surrounds the top and bottom cavities is made of the second material and surrounds a central portion that is formed at least partly of the first and second protrusions made of the first material, and wherein the circumferential portion of the elastic interlayer that is made of the second material is interposed and sandwiched between the bottom planar surface of the main body and the top planar surface of the bottom layer that are made of the first material, and the second material of the elastic interlayer separates the first material of the main body from the first material of the bottom layer, the first and second materials having different elastic properties.

2. The end cap structure according to claim 1, wherein the second material that makes the elastic interlayer comprises an expanded thermoplastic urethane (ETPU) material and the first material that makes the man body and the bottom layer comprises a thermoplastic elastic (TPE) material.

3. The end cap structure according to claim 1, wherein the bottom layer comprises an underside that is opposite to the top of the bottom layer, the underside of the bottom layer being formed with a convex anti-slip texture.

4. The end cap structure according to claim 1, wherein the elastic interlayer has a sidewall contiguous to a sidewall of the main body.

5. The end cap structure according to claim 1, wherein the elastic interlayer has a sidewall contiguous to a sidewall of the bottom layer.

6. The end cap structure according to claim 4, wherein the sidewall of the elastic interlayer is contiguous to a sidewall of the bottom layer.

7. The end cap structure according to claim 1, wherein the elastic interlayer has an outer circumferential surface defining an interlayer outer diameter and the bottom layer has an outer circumferential surface defining a bottom-layer outer diameter, wherein the interlayer outer diameter and the bottom-layer outer diameter are identical to each other and are identical to a maximum outer diameter of the main body defined by an outer circumference of the bottom planar surface of the main body, the outer circumferential surface of the elastic interlayer and the outer circumferential surface of the bottom layer collectively defining a continuous circumferential surface extending from the outer circumference of the bottom planer surface of the main body to an outer circumference of an underside of the bottom layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is another perspective view according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(6) Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a specific structure of a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body 10, an elastic interlayer 20, and a bottom layer 30.

(7) The top end of the main body 10 is recessed with a receiving hole 11. In the embodiment, the main body 10 has a truncated cone shape. The inner bottom surface of the receiving hole 11 is concavely provided with a recess 12 to provide a buffer space, so that the connection of the walking cane/crutch/trekking pole and the receiving hole 11 is more stable.

(8) The elastic interlayer 20 is attached and fixed to the underside of the main body 10. The bottom layer 30 is attached and fixed to the underside of the elastic interlayer 20. In this embodiment, both the elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 are in the shape of a disk. The outer diameters of the elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 are the same as the maximum outer diameter of the main body 10. The underside of the bottom layer 30 is provided with a convex anti-slip texture 31.

(9) The main body 10 and the elastic interlayer 20 are assembled and positioned with each other through a first protrusion 13 and a first cavity 21. The elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 are assembled and positioned with each other through a second protrusion 32 and a second cavity 22. In the embodiment, the underside of the main body 10 is provided with the first protrusion 13, the surface of the elastic interlayer 20 is recessed with the first cavity 21, and the first protrusion 13 is embedded in the first cavity 21. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 13 is located at the center of the underside of the main body 10, and the first cavity 21 is located at the center of the surface of the elastic interlayer 20 to function as a positioning, a fulcrum and a connection. Both the height of the first protrusion 13 and the depth of the first cavity 21 are 3 mm. The underside of the elastic interlayer 20 is recessed with the second cavity 22. The surface of the bottom layer 30 is provided with the second protrusion 32. The second protrusion 32 is embedded in the second cavity 22. In this embodiment, the second protrusion 32 is located at the center of the surface of the bottom layer 30, and the second cavity 22 is located at the center of the underside of the elastic interlayer 20 to function as a positioning, a fulcrum and a connection. Both the height of the second protrusion 32 and the depth of the second cavity 22 are 3 mm. The thickness of the elastic interlayer 20 is 8-10 mm.

(10) In addition, both the main body 10 and the bottom layer 30 are made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material. The elastic interlayer 20 is made of an expanded thermoplastic urethane (ETPU) material. The main body 10, the elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30 are superposed and fixed together by bonding, thereby achieving a stable connection of the main body 10, the elastic interlayer 20 and the bottom layer 30.

(11) The use of this embodiment is described as follows:

(12) In use, the lower end of the walking cane/crutch/trekking pole is inserted into the receiving hole 11 to be fixed. During the use of the walking cane/crutch/trekking pole, the bottom layer 30 is pressed against the ground, and the whole underside of the bottom layer 30 is in contact with the ground. The user can swing the walking cane/crutch/trekking pole in various directions. Due to the arrangement of the elastic interlayer 20, the whole underside of the bottom layer 30 is kept in contact with the ground, thereby improving the safety of use.

(13) FIG. 4 shows a specific structure of a second embodiment of the present invention. The specific structure of the second embodiment is substantially similar to the specific structure of the foregoing first embodiment with the exceptions described hereinafter.

(14) In this embodiment, the first cavity 21 communicates with the second cavity 22. The first protrusion 13 and the second protrusion 32 leans against each other to function as a better positioning, a fulcrum and a connection.

(15) Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.