Adjustable cane

This invention relates generally to an adjustable walking cane and has particular reference to a locking mechanism for such a cane. An adjustable cane is desirable as it allows one cane to be used by individuals of a variety of sizes.

One known arrangement for adjusting the height of a cane is to provide a telescoping sleeve assembly. An inner tubular portion of the assembly carries a spring-loaded push-button which selectively engages one of a plurality of axially or longitudinally spaced apertures formed an outer sleeve. The length of the cane depends on which aperture receives the snap button. This adjustment feature has improved and expanded the usefulness of a cane.

Attempts have been made to improve the adjustment features of canes relative to those presently found in the market. For example, Patent specification US-A-4,085,763 uses a collar having an interior opening and a wing-type male screw. By tightening the threaded wing-type screw, the position of the hollow outer sleeve is fixed relative to the hollow inner tubular member.

In Patent specification US-A-4,044,784, a swivel lock fixes a handle with respect to a support member. The swivel lock includes an internal sleeve in threaded engagement with an externally threaded portion on a lower end of a handle member. An annular compressible member is positioned between the sleeve and support member so that as the sleeve is threaded onto the threaded portion, a lower end portion bears against the compressible member to grip the exterior surface of the support member.

In both of the above patent specifications, repetitive twisting of the height adjustment mechanism is required. Typically, individuals using a height adjustable cane are elderly or physically challenged, and such twisting and tightening motions are difficult for them to perform. Also with regard to US-A-4,085,763, there is a direct metal to metal contact which eventually causes the surface of the inner tube to deteriorate causing the adjustment mechanism to become less secure.

Patent specification US-A-5,139,040 describes a collapsible light-weight crutch which includes a pair of height adjustment retention rings. These rings are constructed of an elastomeric material which tightly engages respective upper and lower support members. However, the rings do not provide a compression between the inner and outer tubes and thereby do not act to reduce the wobbling effect due to the telescoping features.

Patent specifications US-A-4,596,484 and US-A4,029,279 show locking methods using a lever type device. However, the locking mechanisms of these devices are fairly complex and are not directed to walking canes.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable cane comprising:

• a first member having a handle at one end and a plurality of spaced apertures;
• a second member for telescoping relation with the first tubular member;
• a snap button assembly at least partially housed inside the second member and having a button on a first end extending radially outward through one of the apertures in the first member;
• a cam locking assembly including a housing receiving a cam member with a raised surface, and a cam lever operatively associated with the cam member selectively to exert a radially inward locking force on the second member.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a height adjustable cane comprising:

• a first tubular member having a handle and a plurality of spaced apertures;
• a second tubular member configured to be received within the first tubular member and having at least one aperture formed thereon, and a snap button at least partially contained in the second tubular member and to pass through the at least one aperture in the second tubular member and one of the apertures in the first tubular member; and
• a cam locking assembly including a housing mounted on an outer surface of the first tubular member and a cam member located within the housing including a lever and a raised surface extending from the cam member, wherein movement of the lever positions the raised surface in contact with the second tubular member.

Thus, the locking mechanism of such an adjustable walking cane can be reliable, easily operated by individuals without requiring repetitive turning motions or high degrees of strength, and simple and economical to manufacture.

Preferably, a first or upper tubular member has a plurality of spaced apertures formed in a sidewall thereof. A second or lower tubular member is inserted in a telescoping manner into the first tubular member and carries a spring biased snap button that extends through one of the apertures. A cam locking assembly includes a housing mounted on the first tubular member that receives a cam member selectively actuated by a lever. A raised surface on the cam member engages the second tubular member providing a radial locking force that limits relative movement between the first and second tubular members.

The cam housing may include a recess that receives the lever in an actuated position.

The raised surface of the cam member is preferably a general triangular prism configuration that provides a positive locking/unlocking feedback action to the user when the cam member is actuated/deactuated.

Such a height adjustable walking cane can include a locking member that is easily actuated and deactuated.

It can provide positive feedback that confirms that the cam member has been actuated while having a simple construction of cam locking assembly.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a side view of a height adjustable cane according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a spring biased snap button assembly used in conjunction with a cam locking assembly of the cane of Figure 1;
• Figure 3A is a top plan view of a cam housing;
• Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the cam housing taken generally on line A-A of Figure 3A;
• Figure 3C is an elevational view of the cam housing taken generally on line C-C of Figure 3A;
• Figure 4A is a perspective view of a cam member and lever;
• Figure 4B is an elevational view of the cam member of Figure 4A;
• Figure 4C is a bottom view of the cam member of figure 4A;
• Figure 5 illustrates the cam locking assembly in an actuated or locked relationship with first and second telescoping tubular members, the cam member and lever being shown in phantom in a deactuated or unlocked position; and,
• Figure 6 is another embodiment of an adjustable cane according to the invention having a quad leg base.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an adjustable cane A having a first or upper tubular member 10 which includes a handle portion 12 at one end. The handle can adopt a variety of styles or configurations to conform to desired comfort, gripping, or weight bearing considerations, and may include a hand grip 14 for comfort and/or a wrist strap (not shown) to keep the cane close at hand. The other end of the first member 10 terminates in a hollow open end 16. Intermediate the handle and the end 16 are a plurality of openings or apertures 18. Preferably, the openings are generally equi-spaced in a longitudinal direction to provide height adjustment of the cane as will be described in greater detail below.

A second or lower tubular member 20 is at least partially received within the hollow open end 16 of the first tubular member 10 in a telescoping relationship. The lower tubular member 20 further includes a plastics plug 22 received in one end and a rubber bottom tip 24 secured to the other end. The plug 22 serves as an anti-rattle member by providing an increased interference fit between the first and second tubular members where the inner and outer diameter portions of the first and second tubular members, respectively, are otherwise slightly spaced apart to allow the telescoping movement for height adjustment. The tip 24 is preferably formed from rubber because of its non-skid, shock absorbing properties when brought into contact with a supporting surface, such as the ground or a floor.

A spring biased snap button assembly 26 (Figure 2) is at least partially secured within the second tubular member 20. It includes a biassing wire 28 and one or more buttons 30 that selectively project through the apertures 18 formed through the sidewall of the first tubular member 10. Moreover, according to the preferred arrangement, openings 32 are formed in the sidewall of the second tubular member 20 to receive the buttons 30 therethrough. This holds the snap button assembly in place within the second tubular member 20. When an opening 18 is aligned with the opening 32, the button 30 is urged radially outward to lock the first and second tubular members against relative movement. Likewise, when the length or height of the cane is to be altered, the buttons are depressed, against the spring force of the wire 28, through the openings 18 and the tubular members 10,20 repositioned to a desired height so that a new set of openings 18 are aligned with the snap buttons 30. By this structure, the cane A can be adjusted to a variety of lengths to accommodate different sized people. As will be appreciated, the snap button assembly may use only a single button, thus eliminating the need for a second set of openings 18, 32 shown along the left-hand side of Figure 2. In all other respects, however, the snap button assembly would operate in the same manner as described above.

Returning attention to Figure 1, located adjacent the open end 16 of the first tubular member is a cam locking assembly 40. The assembly includes a housing 42, a cam member 44, and an actuating lever 46, preferably integrally formed with the cam member 44. Details of the cam housing 42 are illustrated in Figures 3A-3C. The housing 42 is a hollow, generally cylindrical conformation to be received over the end of the first tubular member 10. Preferably, the housing 42 is circumferentially continuous at opposite ends 48,50 and includes a mounting boss 52 extending outwardly from the sidewall. A cavity 53 is formed in the boss to receive the cam member 44 therein. More particularly, the cavity 53 has a pair of spaced recesses 54,56 (Figure 3A) that receive similarly dimensioned shoulders 58,60 (Figures 4A,4C) of the cam member. Moreover, the cavity 53 communicates with a cutout or notch 62 in the boss 52 through which the actuating lever 46 of the cam member 44 extends. The actuating lever 46 has a pivotal range of movement of approximately ninety degrees, abutting contact with the housing and a wall 64 of the boss 52 defining stop surfaces that limit further travel of the lever. An enlarged tab 66 is formed on the lever 46 at an end opposite to the cam member 44 to facilitate actuation by a user.

A raised surface 70 forms the camming face and preferably has a rounded triangular prism configuration. The outermost point of extension of the raised surface is located at an angle slightly greater than ninety degrees from the lever as best illustrated in Figures 4B and 5. In this manner, the user encounters a positive feedback as the lever is rotated from an actuated to a deactuated position, or vice versa.

The raised surface extends through an opening 72 formed in the lower region of the first tubular member 10 and when actuated to the full line position shown in Figure 5 tightly engages the external surface of the second tubular member 20. When fully actuated, the lever 46 is disposed generally flush with the outer surface of the housing 42 and the raised surface 70 is slightly over-center. When deactuated, and as shown in broken lines in Figure 5, the raised surface 70 is disposed in the boss cutout 62 such that it does not engage the second tubular member 20 not inhibit relative movement between the first 10 and second 20 tubular members. While the preferred material of construction of housing 42 and cam member 44 is plastics, it should be appreciated that other materials may be used.

As may be appreciated from Figures 4A to 4C and 5 a user may simply flip the lever 46 into and out of a locked position by applying an upward or downward force to the tab 66. The applied force to the lever 46 is minimized due to the inherent mechanical advantages afforded by use of a lever. Further, by using the lever 46 to actuate (lock) and deactuate (unlock) the assembly, only a simple upward or downward force needs to be applied, overcoming the twisting action or excessive force required for other known assemblies.

Figure 6 is another embodiment of the subject invention wherein the adjustable cane A is provided with a quad leg base 74. The base includes a rectangular plate 76 interconnecting the second tubular member 20 to four spaced legs 78. In all other respects, this embodiment is substantially identical in structure and operation to the adjustable cane described above.