Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02436994 2003-08-12
1
TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Clamp attachment for a cane
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a clamp attachment for
a cane and, in particular, a clamp which is carried by the
cane when not in use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A person who uses a cane has a need for a clamp to hold
the cane, when the cane is not required or there is a need
for unfettered use of one's hands. There are several patents
disclosing clamp attachments, which attach to a cane and,
when not in use, are carried by the cane. U.S. Patent
5,000,418 (Vogt 1991) discloses a clamp with two pivotally
mounted arms, which clamp onto a table. The back of the
clamp has wings which enable the Vogt clamp to clip onto the
cane. The arms pivot to a stored position, against the cane,
when not in use. U.S. Patent 6,502,283 (Aguirre 2003)
~Cdiscloses a clip, which is adapted to clip to clothing. The
clip can be secured at any selected position along the cane
by any suitable means, such as a strap. The Vogt patent is
not suitable for clamping onto a table. Conversely, the
Aguirre patent is not suitable for clamping to clothing.
L:
SLJ1~ARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is an alternative configuration of
clamp attachment for a cane, which is carried by the cane
when not in use.
3 C?
According to the present invention there is provided a
clamp attachment for a cane, which includes a slide member
adapted to slide axially along a cane shaft. Means are for
limiting axial movement of the slide member. A clamp is
CA 02436994 2003-08-12
2
secured to the slide member.
With the clamp attachment, as described above, the slide
member moves axially along the cane shaft to position the
r~ clamp at a height appropriate for the object to which the
clamp is to be attached. The means for limiting axial
movement of the slide member can take different forms. In
the preferred embodiment which will be hereinafter described,
a first stop and a second stop are provided. The first stop
is adapted for limiting axial movement of the slide member in
a first axial direction. The second stop is adapted for
limiting axial movement of the slide member in a second axial
direction. The second stop is axially spaced from the first
stop, thereby accommodating axial movement of the slide
~5 member. It will be appreciated that with some cane
configurations, the design of the handle may permit the
handle to serve as one of the stops.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the
use of the clamp attachment, as described above, the
orientation of the object to which the clamp is to be
attached can be vertical, horizontal or angular. Even more
beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the clamp
is secured to the slide member by a linkage, which is adapted
?r; to permit omni-directional adjustment of the orientation of
the clamp. It is preferred that this linkage also permit the
clamp to assume a stored position clamped onto the cane
shaft.
The clamp used can take various forms. In the preferred
embodiment, which will be hereinafter described, the clamp
has a wire spring body with arms that intersect at a
intersecting point. Contact members are positioned at remote
ends of the intersected arms on a first side of the
intersecting point. The wire spring body has a hand gripping
CA 02436994 2003-08-12
3
portion positioned on a second side of the intersecting
point. The contact members are biased by the wire spring
body toward each other. Squeezing the hand gripping portion
of the wire spring body, causes the contact members to move
> away from each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become
more apparent from the following description in which
reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are
for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to
l~; in any way limit the scope of the invention to the particular
embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a clamp attachment
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present
invention attached to a horizontal support in the form of a
table top.
FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the clamp
attachment illustrated in FIGURE 1, attached to a vertical
support in the form of an edge of a door.
FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the clamp
'~5 attachment illustrated in FIGURE 1, attached to an angular
support, in the form of a stair rail.
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the clamp attachment
illustrated in FIGURE 1, with the clamp in a stored position
attached to the cane.
;J
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, a clamp attachment for a cane
generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be
CA 02436994 2003-08-12
4
described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 4.
Structure and Relationship of Parts:
Referring to FIGURE 1, clamp attachment 10 has
a slide member 12 adapted to slide axially along a cane shaft
14. A first stop 16 is positioned on cane shaft 14 for
limiting axial movement of slide member 12 in a first axial
direction 18. Beneficial results are obtained where first
stop 16 is positioned above the centre of gravity of cane
i0 shaft 14. A second stop 20 is positioned on cane shaft 14 for
limiting axial movement of slide member 12 in a second axial
direction 22. Second stop 20 is axially spaced from first
stop 16, thereby accommodating axial movement of slide member
12 along cane shaft 14. A clamp 24 is secured to slide
member 12 by a linkage 26. Linkage 26 is adapted to permit
omni-directional adjustment of the orientation of clamp 24.
Referring to FIGURE 4, this permits clamp 24 to assume a
stored position clamped onto cane shaft 14. Further, in the
illustrated embodiment, referring to FIGURE 2, this allows
2C;~ cane shaft 14 to be attached to a vertical member, such as a
door 28. In the illustrated embodiment, referring to FIGURE
3, this also allows cane shaft 14 to be attached to an
angular member, such as a stair rail 30. It will be
appreciated that clamp 24 will clamp onto any convenient
2J object, or even the user's clothing. Referring to FIGURE 1,
clamp 24 has a wire spring body 32 with arms 34 that
intersect at a intersecting point 36. Contact members 38 are
positioned at remote ends 40 of intersected arms 34 on a
first side 42 of intersecting point 36. A hand gripping
3C~ portion 44 is positioned on a second side 46 of intersecting
point 36. Contact members 38 are biased by wire spring body
32 toward each other. In the illustrated embodiment, contact
members 38 grip a horizontal member, in the form of a table
48. Where hand gripping portion 44 of wire spring body 32 is
CA 02436994 2003-08-12
squeezed, contact members 38 are caused to move away from
each other, releasing grip.
Operation:
The use and operation of clamp attachment for a cane 10
will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 4.
Referring to FIGURE 1, first stop 16 is positioned on cane
shaft 14 such that slide member 12 is limited to the upper
portion 50 of cane shaft 14. This ensures that cane shaft 14
is generally oriented vertically with handle 52 upwards as
shown. Second stop 20 limits travel of slide member 12
towards handle 52. Depending upon the type of cane and shape
of handle, handle 52 may serve as second stop 20 by limiting
i5 travel. Slide member 12 with clamp 24 is attached to cane
shaft 14 such that slide member 12 slides freely along cane
shaft 14 between first stop 16 and second stop 20. Linkage
26 allows clamp 24 to be both rotationally and angularly free
to move in all directions. Where it is desired to keep the
2':) cane conveniently poised for use, a user may apply pressure
to hand portion 44, open arms 34 around a horizontal member,
such as table 48, release the bias force and attach the cane
shaft 14 to table 48. Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3. cane
shaft 14 may also be attached to a vertical member, such as
dcor 28 or an angular member, such as stair rail 30 in a
similar fashion, linkage 26 allowing cane shaft 14 to adapt
to each orientation. Referring to FIGURE 4, where a user
desires to retract clamp 24 while the cane is in use, he or
she may attach it to cane shaft 14.
5 ~n
It will be appreciated that a number of ways of
construction may present themselves to accomplish the same
function according to the teachings of the invention. When
"retrofitting" an existing cane, one would provide stops that
secure to cane shaft I4 in an appropriate spaced relation.
CA 02436994 2003-08-12
6
However, a manufacturer of canes would incorporate integral
stops into the cane during fabrication.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used
in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the
word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are
not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite
article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than
one of the element is present, unless the context clearly
requires that there be one and only one of the elements.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention
15 as hereinafter defined in the Claims.
