walking stick

Abstract

The present invention provides a walking stick that can prevent unintended detachment of the connecting device from the pole body, even if the hook is released from the receiving part due to misoperation or impact. [Solution] The walking stick 100 is comprised of a pole body 101 and a connector 150. The pole body 101 mainly comprises a shaft 110 and a grip 120, and the grip 120 comprises a grip body and an operating part. The grip core material constituting the grip body has a connector fitting portion formed therein that holds the connector 150 within the grip body. The connector fitting portion is provided with a hook receiving portion inside which the hook portion of the connector 150 catches, and a grip-side magnetic member is provided in the connector 150 that attracts each other by magnetic force.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a cane used when a user walks.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a cane (so-called walking pole) that can enhance the exercise effect of walking for the purpose of maintaining health. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a walking pole in which a strap portion is configured to be detachable from a grip portion. In this case, the strap portion is configured to include a locking portion that can be attached to the grip portion by hooking onto a saw-tooth-shaped locked portion formed inside the grip portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1 above, there is a problem that if the push button for releasing the locking portion from the locked portion is accidentally operated or an impact is applied to the push button, the strap portion may easily detach from the grip portion against the user's intention.

[0005] The present invention has been made to address the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cane that can suppress the unintentional detachment of a connector from a pole body even when the hooking of a hooking portion on a hooked portion is released due to an accidental operation or an impact.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present invention is characterized by comprising a pole body formed in the shape of a rod and a connector that is detachably connected to the pole body, wherein the pole body has a hooking receiving portion to which the connector is hooked, and one of a pair of magnetic members, at least one of which is made of a magnet and attracts each other, is provided near the hooking receiving portion including the hooking receiving portion, and the other of the pair of magnetic members is provided near the hooking portion including the hooking receiving portion.

[0007] According to this, the walking stick is constructed such that the pole body has a hooking receiver, and one of a pair of magnetic members is provided near the hooking receiver, including the hooking receiver; and the connector has a hook that hooks onto the hooking receiver, and the other of the pair of magnetic members is provided near the hook that hooks onto the hooking receiver. Therefore, even if the hook detaches from the hooking receiver, the pair of magnetic members provided near the hooking receiver and hooking receiver can prevent the connector from detaching from the pole body.

[0008] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the walking stick, the pole body has a bottomed or through-hole connector fitting portion formed on its outer surface, into which a connector can be detachably fitted, and the hook receiving portion and one of the pair of magnetic members are provided within the connector fitting portion.

[0009] According to this, the walking stick is constructed by providing a hook receiving portion and one of a pair of magnetic members within a connector fitting portion formed as an opening on the outer surface of the pole body. Therefore, the walking stick can connect the connector within the grip, and the connector can be attached in a way that makes it difficult for it to come off the pole body.

[0010] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the cane, one of the pair of magnetic members provided within the connector fitting portion is positioned on the side where the connector fitting portion opens, at least a portion of which is on the side where the connector fitting portion opens, compared to the position of the other magnetic member in the connected state where the hook portion is hooked onto the hook receiving portion.

[0011] According to this, the cane is configured such that at least a portion of the magnetic member provided within the connector fitting portion is positioned closer to the opening of the connector fitting portion than the position of the other magnetic member when the hook portion is hooked onto the hook receiving portion in the connected state. Therefore, the cane can temporarily hold the connector within the connector fitting portion by the attractive force between the magnetic members before connecting the hook portion and the hook receiving portion, making the connection work easier. Furthermore, even if the connector moves in the depth direction within the connector fitting portion, the attractive force between the two magnetic members can suppress the movement of the connector within the connector fitting portion, preventing the connector from detaching from the connector fitting portion.

[0012] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the cane, one of the pair of magnetic members is made of a magnetic metal.

[0013] According to this, since one of the pair of magnetic members of the cane is made of a magnetic metal, it is possible to prevent foreign objects attracted by magnetic force from being attracted to the fitting portion of the connector.

[0014] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the cane, the pair of magnetic members are composed of magnets having an attractive force such that at least one of the magnetic members pulls the connector into the connector fitting portion.

[0015] According to this, the cane is composed of a magnet in which at least one of the pair of magnetic members has an attractive force sufficient to pull the connector into the connector fitting portion. As a result, the connector is guided into the connector fitting portion by the attractive force between the magnetic members, making the insertion process easier.

[0016] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the cane, the other of the pair of magnetic members is made of a magnet.

[0017] According to this, since the other of the pair of magnetic members in the connector is composed of a magnet, for example, the cane can be easily stored by being attracted by magnetic force to other parts other than the pole body such as a wall, table, or shelf made of a magnet or magnetic material.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a left side view showing an outline of the overall configuration of a pair of left and right canes according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an enlarged left side view showing an enlarged outline of the appearance configuration of the grip in the cane shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing an outline of the internal structure of the grip shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged front view showing an enlarged outline of the appearance configuration of the grip in the cane shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing an outline of the appearance configuration of the connector in the cane shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing an outline of the internal structure of the connector seen from the 6-6 line shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory view showing a state where a strap attached to the connector shown in FIG. 5 is worn on the hand. [Figure 8] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing an outline of the internal structure of the grip and the connector in a state where the connector is inserted and attached to the grip shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 9] It is a partial enlarged view showing the grip according to another modification of the present invention in the same field of view as FIG. 2. [Figure 10] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal structure of the grip according to another modification of the present invention in the same field of view as FIG. 3.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the cane 100 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a left side view schematically showing the overall configuration of a pair of left and right canes 100 according to the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is an enlarged left side view schematically showing an enlarged external configuration of the grip 120 in the cane 100 shown in FIG. 1. Further, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the grip 120 shown in FIG. 2.

[0020] (Configuration of the cane 100) This cane 100 is a device used to assist land-based exercises such as walking (e.g., Nordic walking or pole walking), jogging, or running, which are performed for the purpose of promoting or maintaining health. Specifically, the cane 100 supports the body of a user (not shown) performing land-based exercises against the walking surface. In the present embodiment, the user holds a pair of canes 100 configured symmetrically on the left and right in their left and right hands respectively to perform walking.

[0021] Therefore, hereinafter, mainly the configuration of one cane 100 will be described, and for the other cane 10, the same reference numerals will be given to the parts that are the same as or corresponding to the constituent parts of the one cane 100 in the drawings shown below, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. In the present embodiment, the left side of the grip 120 shown in FIG. 2 is defined as the front side of the cane 100, the right side of the grip 120 shown in the figure is defined as the rear side of the cane 100, and the height direction of the cane 100 perpendicular to this front-rear direction is defined as the up-down direction of the cane 100. This cane 100 is mainly composed of a pole body 101 and a coupler 150 respectively.

[0022] The pole body 101 is the main body part of the cane 100 and is formed in a rod shape extending in the height direction (up-down direction) of the user performing walking. This pole body 101 is mainly composed of a shaft 110 and a grip 120 respectively.

[0023] The shaft 110 is the part that transmits the load applied to the grip 120 (described later) to the walking surface, and is constructed by connecting multiple vertically extending metal (aluminum in this embodiment) pipe materials. Specifically, the shaft 110 is composed of an upper shaft 111, a lower shaft 112, and a height adjuster 113.

[0024] The upper shaft 111 is a component that forms the upper part of the shaft 110 and houses the lower shaft 112. A grip 120 is attached to one end (upper side in the figure) of the upper shaft 111, and the lower shaft 112 is inserted into the other end (lower side in the figure) via a height adjuster 113. In this case, the upper shaft 111 is made of a pipe material with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the lower shaft 112.

[0025] The lower shaft 112 is a component that forms the lower part of the shaft 110 and supports the upper shaft 111 on the walking surface. The lower shaft 112 is connected to the upper shaft 111 by inserting one end (upper side in the figure) into the lower end of the upper shaft 111 via a height adjuster 113. The lower shaft 112 is formed in a shape that tapers as the outer diameter of the pipe material gradually decreases from the one end to the other end (lower side in the figure). In this case, the lower shaft 112 has a cap 140, which will be described later, attached to the other end.

[0026] The height adjuster 113 is a component for changing the vertical position of the grip 120. This height adjuster 113 is provided to cover the portion of the upper shaft 111 into which the lower shaft 112 is inserted, and is configured to fix or release the connection position of both shafts (111, 112) by clamping the upper shaft 111 and the lower shaft 112 from the outer circumference by operating a lever. In other words, the height adjuster 113 can fix the lower shaft 112, which is inserted into the upper shaft 111, at any length position, and position the grip 120 at a height corresponding to this position.

[0027] The grip 120 is a component that the user of the cane 100 holds in their hand, and is attached to the upper end of the upper shaft 111. As shown in Figure 2, the grip 120 mainly consists of a grip body 121 and an operating element 135.

[0028] The grip body 121 is a part that constitutes the main body of the grip 120, and is configured as a bottomed cylindrical shape that opens downwards as shown in the figure. This grip body 121 is mainly composed of a grip core material 121a and a grip surface material 121b.

[0029] The grip core material 121a is a component that forms the skeleton of the grip body 121, and is constructed by forming a hard resin material into a bottomed cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, the grip core material 121a is made of polyamide (nylon). In this case, the grip core material 121a is formed to a length that can be gripped by the user with one hand in the vertical direction, specifically a length slightly longer than the width of the user's hand (in the direction perpendicular to the length of the fingers) (approximately 7 cm to 13 cm), and the upper end of the grip core material 121a is formed to curve gently toward the front side (left side in the figure). A shaft mounting hole 122 and an operator housing hole 130 are formed inside the grip core material 121a, respectively.

[0030] The grip surface material 121b is the part of the grip body 121 that the user directly grips, and is formed in a cylindrical shape that covers the outer circumference of the grip core material 121a. In this embodiment, the grip surface material 121b is made of an elastomer material (specifically, TPV) which is an elastic rubber material or thermoplastic resin material.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the shaft mounting hole 122 is the part into which one (upper) end of the upper shaft 111 is inserted, integrating the grip body 121 with the upper shaft 111. This shaft mounting hole 122 is a bottomed cylindrical hole in the grip core material 121a, with one end (lower in the figure) open and the opposite end (upper part) closed, and is formed to be approximately 2 / 3 the length of the entire length of the grip core material 121a. In addition, an operator housing hole 130 is formed at the upper end of the grip core material 121a.

[0032] The operator housing hole 130 is the part that houses the operator 135 and to which the connecting device 150 inserted inside connects to the grip body 121 and the operator 135, respectively, and is composed of a through hole. More specifically, one end of the operator housing hole 130 opens upward at the upper end of the grip core material 121a. The other end of the operator housing hole 130 opens diagonally downward (downright in the figure) at the outer surface of the grip core material 121a, which is located rearward (right side in the figure) and below the opening at the one end.

[0033] In other words, the operator housing hole 130 is formed extending from the front side (left side in the figure) to the rear side (right side in the figure) and diagonally downward at the upper end of the grip core material 121a. This operator housing hole 130 is mainly composed of an operator mounting portion 131 and a connector fitting portion 132, respectively.

[0034] The operator mounting portion 131 is the part that houses the operator 135 and integrates the grip body 121 and the operator 135, and is formed on the upper end side of the grip core material 121a in the operator housing hole 130. This operator mounting portion 131 is formed in a shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the operator 135 which is positioned exposed at the upper end of the grip core material 121a.

[0035] The connector fitting portion 132 is a part for holding the connector 150 in a detachable state, and is formed on the other end side of the operator housing hole 130. This connector fitting portion 132 has an opening 133 that opens diagonally downward on the outer surface of the rear side (right side in the figure) of the grip core material 121a, and this opening 133 and the inside of the opening 133 are formed in a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the connector 150. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connector fitting portion 132 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape consisting of a bottom surface 132a, a left side surface 132b, a right side surface 132c, and a top surface 132d.

[0036] The innermost part of the connector fitting portion 132 communicates with the operator mounting portion 131, and the hooking receiving portion 136 of the operator 135 housed within the operator mounting portion 131 is exposed toward the connector fitting portion 132. In other words, the innermost part of the connector fitting portion 132 is provided with the hooking receiving portion 136 of the operator 135, and the tip (hooking portion 151) of the connector 150, which is inserted from the opening 133, is hooked onto this hooking receiving portion 136. Furthermore, the length of the connector fitting portion 132 in the depth direction is formed to such a length that the rear end (mounting portion 152) of the connector 150 is exposed to the outside when the tip (hooking portion 151) of the connector 150 is hooked onto the hooking receiving portion 136 of the operator 135. A grip-side magnetic member 134 is provided on the bottom surface 132a of the connector fitting portion 132.

[0037] The grip-side magnetic member 134 is a component that holds the connector 150 detachably within the connector fitting portion 132 by attracting each other with the connector-side magnetic member 155 provided on the connector 150, and is made of a magnetic metal plate. In this embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is formed in a C-shape (or U-shape) with a cross-sectional shape that opens downwards by bending the two long sides of a rectangular stainless steel plate in plan view downwards. The grip-side magnetic member 134 is embedded inside the bottom surface 132a of the connector fitting portion 132 with its upper surface (the upper plate-like portion when the C-shaped tip is facing downwards) exposed flush with the bottom surface 132a.

[0038] In this case, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is provided extending in the depth direction of the connector fitting portion 132, and is positioned so that the grip-side magnetic member 134 can be seen from the outside through the opening 133. Specifically, the front end (upper left side in the figure) of the grip-side magnetic member 134 is positioned facing the hook receiving portion 136 of the operator 135 in the vertical direction, while the rear end (lower right side in the figure) is positioned closer to the opening 133 and further inward than the lower end (hook receiving portion 136) of the operator 135. This grip-side magnetic member 134 corresponds to the pair of magnetic members according to the present invention.

[0039] The operator 135 is a component housed in the operator mounting portion 131 and used to hold the connector 150 in a detachable state within the connector fitting portion 132. It is formed in a block shape with a roughly Y-shaped cross-section extending in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in the illustration). In this case, the operator 135 is supported by the grip core material 121a in a rotatable state by a pin that penetrates the grip core material 121a in the thickness direction at the longitudinal center portion. The operator 135 is mainly composed of a hook receiving portion 136 and a release operating portion 137.

[0040] The hook receiving portion 136 is a part of the operator 135 that holds the connector 150 detachably by hooking the hook portion 151 (tip portion) of the connector 150 onto it, and constitutes the rear end (right side in the figure) of the operator 135. The hook receiving portion 136 has a claw-shaped (J-shaped) cross-section with a projection that protrudes downward, and is hooked from above onto the hook portion 151 of the connector 150 which is located below the hook receiving portion 136 within the connector fitting portion 132.

[0041] The release operation section 137 is the part for releasing the engagement of the hook receiving section 136 with respect to the hook portion 151 of the connector 150, and constitutes the front end (left side in the figure) of the operator 135. The release operation section 137 is formed to a width that allows the user to place their fingertips (for example, thumb or index finger) on its upper surface, specifically the thickness of the user's fingertips (approximately 1 cm to 2 cm), and has a recess into which the fingertips fit when placed facing forward. In this case, the release operation section 137 is configured such that when the user presses down on the front end portion, the release operation section 137 tilts downward, and the hook receiving section 136 formed on the opposite side of the release operation section 137 (right side in the figure) lifts up with the pin as the pivot point, releasing the engagement between the hook portion 151 and the hook receiving section 136.

[0042] The cap 140 is a component that covers and protects the lower end of the lower shaft 112 and supports the shaft 110 on the walking surface to ensure the stability of the cane 100. The cap 140 is composed of a cylindrical part formed from resin material in a boot-shaped, bottomed tube and a sole part formed from an elastic material such as rubber that covers the bottom surface of the cylindrical part in a plate shape. The cap 140 can be attached by inserting the lower end of the lower shaft 112 into the cylindrical part, and the cap 140 can be separated from the lower shaft 112 by pulling the lower end out of the cylindrical part. In other words, the cap 140 is configured to be detachably attached to the lower shaft 112.

[0043] The connector 150 is a component that can be detachably attached to the pole body 101, and is composed of a small, thick plate-like piece that is rectangular in plan view and parallelogram in side view, which fits detachably into the connector fitting portion 132. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the connector 150 mainly comprises a hook portion 151, a mounting portion 152, an intermediate portion 153, a magnetic member holding portion 154, and a connector-side magnetic member 155.

[0044] The hook portion 151 is a part that allows the connector 150 to be detachably attached to the grip 120 by hooking onto the hook receiving portion 136 of the operator 135. This hook portion 151 constitutes the tip side (left end side in the figure) of the connector 150 that is inserted into the connector fitting portion 132, and is formed in a claw shape (J shape).

[0045] Specifically, the hook portion 151 is composed of a first inclined surface 151a (upward slope) at the tip that abuts against the hook receiving portion 136 of the operator 135 when inserted into the connector fitting portion 132, and which gradually slopes upward (towards the hook receiving portion 136) toward the other end (mounting portion 152). In other words, the hook portion 151 is formed to gradually increase in thickness from the tip side toward the other end side so that when inserted into the connector fitting portion 132, it gradually pushes up the hook receiving portion 136 along the first inclined surface 151a.

[0046] Furthermore, the hook portion 151 has a recess 151b formed between the first inclined surface 151a and the longitudinal central portion (intermediate portion 153) into which the projection portion of the hook receiving portion 136 fits. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, this recess 151b is composed of a wall surface 151c that hangs down from the upper end of the first inclined surface 151a and a second inclined surface 151d (upward slope) that gradually slopes upward from the lower end of this wall surface 151c toward the other end, and is formed in a shape corresponding to the projection portion of the hook receiving portion 136. In other words, the projection portion of the hook portion 151 is composed of the first inclined surface 151a and the recess 151b (i.e., the wall surface 151c and the second inclined surface 151d). In this case, on the hook portion 151, a lower surface 151e extending horizontally is formed on the side opposite to (lower than) the side (upper side) where the projection portion is formed.

[0047] The mounting portion 152 is the part for attaching an object to be connected to the connector 150, and is provided at the end of the connector 150 opposite to the hook portion 151 (right side in the figure). This mounting portion 152 is formed at the right end of the connector 150, which is tapered in shape with the thickness gradually decreasing from the hook portion 151 side (left side in the figure) to the tip, and has a roughly rectangular through hole formed in the thickness direction in a plan view. In this case, the object to be connected can be attached to the grip 120 by attaching the connector 150, to which the object to be connected has been attached via a string or carabiner to the through hole, to the grip 120. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the mounting portion 152 is attached to a strap 160 that is worn on the user's hand via a connector mounting portion 163.

[0048] As shown in Figure 6, the intermediate portion 153 is the part of the connector 150 that forms the space between the hook portion 151 and the mounting portion 152, and its cross-sectional shape is rectangular. Specifically, the intermediate portion 153 connects the hook portion 151 and the mounting portion 152 in a planar manner on its top surface (the side on which the protruding portion of the hook portion 151 is formed), left side, right side, and bottom surface (the side opposite to the top surface), thereby maintaining a constant width and thickness between the hook portion 151 and the mounting portion 152. In this case, a magnetic member holding portion 154 is formed on the bottom surface of the intermediate portion 153.

[0049] The magnetic member holding portion 154 is a part of the connector 150 that accommodates and holds the connector-side magnetic member 155, and is formed in the lower surface of the intermediate portion 153 as a recess that opens downward (on the opposite side from the side where the protruding portion of the hook portion 151 is formed). In this embodiment, the magnetic member holding portion 154 is formed in the lower surface of the intermediate portion 153 as a bottomed cylindrical hole with a depth that allows the connector-side magnetic member 155 to be embedded flush with the surface while its upper surface is exposed.

[0050] The connector-side magnetic member 155 is housed in the magnetic member holding portion 154 and attracts the grip-side magnetic member 134 in the connector fitting portion 132 to a component that allows the connector 150 to be detachably attached to the grip 120. It is made of a magnet. In this embodiment, the connector-side magnetic member 155 is made of a cylindrical neodymium magnet that has an attractive force such that the connector 150 is pulled into the connector fitting portion 132 when the connector 150 is inserted through the opening 133. Note that the connector-side magnetic member 155 is not limited to the above embodiment and can also be made of a magnet other than a neodymium magnet, such as a ferrite magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, or an alnico magnet. This connector-side magnetic member 155 corresponds to the pair of magnetic members according to the present invention.

[0051] The strap 160 is a device for preventing the grip 120 from coming off the hand and reducing the force required to grip the pole body 101. It is worn on the palm and wrist-side portion of the back of the hand, covering the area around the base of the thumb. The strap 160 consists of a strap body 161, a hook-and-loop fastener 162, and a connector attachment portion 163. The strap body 161 constitutes the main body of the strap 160 and covers the palm and back of the hand. It is made of a cloth strip that is slightly shorter than the circumference of the palm (the outer circumference in the width direction of the hand). The strap body 161 has a guide portion 161a at one end and a hook-and-loop fastener 162 at the other end, and a thumb hole portion 161b is formed in the longitudinal center portion.

[0052] The guide portion 161a is a component for adjusting the length of the hook-and-loop fastener 162 by passing it through the strip-shaped hook-and-loop fastener 162, and is constructed by forming a resin material into a ring shape. The thumb hole portion 161b is a hole for passing the thumb through. The hook-and-loop fastener 162 is a component for connecting both ends of the strap body 161 to each other and for adjusting the length according to the size of the user's hand, and is constructed as a strip extending from the longitudinal center of the strap body 161 to the other end. This hook-and-loop fastener 162 is configured so that when the end extending from the other end of the strap body 161 is folded back to the end located in the longitudinal center, the opposing surfaces can be attached and detached.

[0053] The connector attachment portion 163 is the part for attaching the connector 150 to the strap body 161. In this embodiment, the connector attachment portion 163 is made of a strip of fabric, and both ends are sewn to the strap body 161 with the strip passed through the through hole of the attachment portion 152 of the connector 150. In this case, the connector attachment portion 163 is provided near the thumb hole portion 161b of the strap body 161. Note that the connector attachment portion 163 may be made of a material other than a strip of fabric, for example, a string, chain, carabiner, or metal ring (so-called jump ring or double ring, etc.).

[0054] (Activation of the cane 100) Next, the operation of the cane 100 configured as described above will be explained. The user of the cane 100 prepares a pair of canes 100, one for the left and one for the right. In this case, the user prepares the left and right pole bodies 101 and two connecting devices 150 to which straps 160 for the left or right hand are attached.

[0055] Next, before using the cane 100, the user adjusts the length of the shaft 110 to adjust the height of the grip 120. Specifically, the user operates the lever of the height adjustment device 113 to release the lock and adjusts the length of the shaft 110 to their preference by inserting and removing the lower shaft 112 from the upper shaft 111. Then, the user operates the lever of the height adjustment device 113 to fix the upper shaft 111 and the lower shaft 112 together. This allows the user to adjust the grip 120 to the appropriate height.

[0056] Next, the user attaches the connector 150 to the pole body 101, as shown in Figure 8. Specifically, the user inserts the hook portion 151 of the connector 150 into the connector fitting portion 132 through the opening 133 formed in the grip 120. As a result, the connector 150 is naturally drawn into the connector fitting portion 132 by the magnetic attraction between the connector-side magnetic member 155 and the grip-side magnetic member 134 provided inside the connector fitting portion 132, and the attachment portion 152 is held inside the connector fitting portion 132 with the attachment portion 152 protruding outward from the opening 133.

[0057] Next, the user attaches the connector 150 to the grip 120 by hooking the connector 150 onto the operator 135. In this case, the user pushes the connector 150, which is held in place by magnetic force within the connector fitting portion 132, further into the connector fitting portion 132, thereby hooking the hook portion 151 of the connector 150 onto the hook receiving portion 136 of the operator 135, which is located at the innermost part of the connector fitting portion 132. This allows the user to attach the connector 150 to the pole body 101.

[0058] These steps allow the user to prepare the pole body 101 for use as a walking stick. The user can then begin using the walking stick 100 by attaching the straps 160, which are attached to the pole body 101 via the connector 150, to each hand, and gripping the handle 120 with the control element 135 of the walking stick 100 facing forward. In this case, the user puts their thumb through the thumb hole 161b of the strap 160 and puts their other fingers through the loop formed by connecting both ends of the strap 160, and then adjusts the attachment position of the hook-and-loop fastener 162 according to the width of the user's hand to secure it. This allows the user to attach the strap 160 to their hand.

[0059] Next, the user begins walking using the cane 100. Specifically, the user moves along the walking surface while supporting their body by placing the cane 100 in front of or behind them in accordance with their walking rhythm.

[0060] Furthermore, the user can also use the cane 100 to perform exercises other than walking. For example, by grasping the upper end (operator 135) of the grip 120 of the cane 100 from above and moving the arm back and forth and side to side around the lower end (cap 140) of the cane 100 that contacts the walking surface, the user can tilt the shaft 110 and perform exercises.

[0061] Alternatively, the user can remove the strap 160 from the grip 120 and walk using only the pole body 101. In this case, the user presses the release operation part 137 on the operator 135 and pulls the strap 160 away from the grip 120, pulling the connector 150 out of the connector fitting part 132.

[0062] This pressing operation allows the user to release the engagement between the hook receiving portion 136 on the operator 135 and the hook portion 151 on the connector 150. Furthermore, the user can remove the connector 150 from the grip 120 by pulling away the connector-side magnetic member 155 from the grip-side magnetic member 134 through the aforementioned pulling operation. In other words, the cane 100 does not separate the grip 120 and the connector 150 by the pressing operation alone; the connector 150 can only be removed from the grip 120 by performing both the pressing and pulling operations simultaneously.

[0063] On the other hand, the user may unintentionally press the release operation part 137 while using the cane 100. In this case, the release operation part 137 of the cane 100 tilts downward, and the hook receiving part 136 lifts up with the pin in the operator 135 as the pivot point, releasing the engagement between the hook part 151 and the hook receiving part 136. However, the cane 100 can still hold the connector 150 within the connector fitting part 132 even when the engagement between the hook part 151 and the hook receiving part 136 is released, because the magnetic member 155 on the connector side and the magnetic member 134 on the grip side attract each other by magnetic force.

[0064] When the user has finished using the cane 100, they can separate the pole body 101 and the connector 150 by the aforementioned removal process, allowing them to store the pole body 101 and the object to be connected (in this embodiment, the strap 160) separately. In this case, the user can store the connector 150 by attaching it to a magnetic metal wall or shelf, etc., using the magnetic force of the connector-side magnetic member 155 of the connector 150.

[0065] As can be understood from the above description of operation, according to the above embodiment, the cane 100 is configured such that the pole body 101 is provided with a hook receiving portion 136 and a grip-side magnetic member 134, and the connector 150 is provided with a hook portion 151 and a connector-side magnetic member 155. Therefore, even if the hook portion 151 comes off the hook receiving portion 136, the pair of magnetic members (134, 151) provided near the hook receiving portion 136 and the hook portion 151 can prevent the connector 150 from coming off the pole body 101.

[0066] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible as long as they do not depart from the purpose of the present invention. In the description of each modified example, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as in the embodiments described above, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0067] For example, in the above embodiment, the cane 100 was configured as a pair of left and right canes (so-called walking poles) used when walking. However, the cane 100 can be configured as a cane to assist with walking in daily life. For example, the cane 100 may be a single-handed cane formed in a T-shape or L-shape in a side view, a multi-legged cane supported by multiple legs on the walking surface, crutches, a Lofstrand cane (forearm-fixed cane) that supports the load at two points, a ring portion that goes through the forearm and a grip portion, or a platform crutch (elbow-supported cane) that supports the load with the entire forearm from the elbow to the wrist. Alternatively, the cane 100 may be configured as a trekking pole used when hiking or mountaineering, or a ski pole used when skiing.

[0068] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connector fitting portion 132 was configured as a through hole. However, the connector fitting portion 132 can also be configured as a bottomed hole.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cane 100 is configured to include a grip-side magnetic member 134 and a hook-receiving portion 136 within the connector fitting portion 132. With this configuration, the cane 100 can connect the connector 150 within the grip 120, so that the connector 150 can be attached in a way that makes it difficult for it to come off the pole body 101. In addition, since the connector 150 is inserted into the grip 120 when connected, the cane 100 can reduce the likelihood of the connector 150 interfering with use. However, the cane 100 can be configured with one of the grip-side magnetic member 134 and the hook-receiving portion 136 provided within the connector fitting portion 132 and the other provided on the outer surface of the grip 120. Alternatively, the cane 100 can be configured with both the grip-side magnetic member 134 and the hook-receiving portion 136 provided on the outer surface of the grip 120.

[0070] Specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the cane 100 can be configured such that the rear portion of the grip core material 121a, which covers the lower end of the operator 135 and constitutes the upper part of the connector fitting portion 132, is omitted, and the grip-side magnetic member 134 and the hook receiving portion 136 are exposed to the outside. In other words, the cane 100 can be configured such that the operator housing hole 130 is formed in a concave or groove shape that opens upward at the upper end of the grip core material 121a, and the connector fitting portion 132 in the above embodiment is omitted.

[0071] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is configured to be provided on the bottom surface 132a within the connector fitting portion 132. However, the position in which the grip-side magnetic member 134 is provided is not limited to the above embodiment, and any position in which the two magnetic members (134, 155) attract each other so that the connector 150 can be attached to the pole body 101 is acceptable. Therefore, the grip-side magnetic member 134 can be provided, for example, on each surface other than the bottom surface 132a that constitutes the connector fitting portion 132 (for example, the left side 132b, the right side 132c, or the top surface 132d), on each surface that constitutes the hook receiving portion 136, on the outer surface of the grip 120, or across multiple of these surfaces.

[0072] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is positioned flush with the bottom surface 132a inside the connector fitting portion 132. However, the grip-side magnetic member 134 may be positioned so that its upper surface is exposed in a recessed position relative to the bottom surface 132a inside the connector fitting portion 132. Alternatively, the grip-side magnetic member 134 may be embedded inside the grip 120 with its upper surface not exposed. In these cases, when the connector 150 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 132, the grip-side magnetic member 134 does not directly contact the connector-side magnetic member 155, but attracts each other non-contactly through a predetermined distance, making it easy to separate the two magnetic members (134, 155).

[0073] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 was positioned with its upper surface exposed within the connector fitting portion 132. However, the grip-side magnetic member 134 may be configured with a resin protective film or coating covering its upper surface. In this case, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is not directly exposed to the outside by the protective film or coating, thus preventing contamination.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is configured to be provided on the bottom surface 132a facing the upper surface of the connector-side magnetic member 155 within the connector fitting portion 132 when the connector 150 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 132. However, as shown in Figure 10, the grip-side magnetic member 134 may be positioned on the surface opposite to the surface facing the upper surface of the connector-side magnetic member 155 within the connector fitting portion 132 (the upper surface 132d of the connector fitting portion 132). In this case, when the connector 150 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 132, the grip-side magnetic member 134 does not directly contact the connector-side magnetic member 155, but attracts each other non-contactively through a predetermined distance, so that the two magnetic members (134, 155) can be easily separated.

[0075] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is configured such that a portion of it extends towards the opening 133 side than the position of the connector-side magnetic member 155 in the connected state where the hook portion 151 is hooked onto the hook receiving portion 136. With this configuration, the cane 100 can temporarily hold the connector 150 within the connector fitting portion 132 by the attractive force of both magnetic members (134, 155) before connecting the hook receiving portion 136 and the hook portion 151, thereby facilitating the connection work.

[0076] However, the grip-side magnetic member 134 can also be positioned such that the rear end of the connector fitting portion 132 is opposite the position of the connector-side magnetic member 155, or is located closer to the opening 133 than the opposite position. Alternatively, the grip-side magnetic member 134 can also be positioned such that the end on the opening 133 side is located further back on the connector fitting portion 132 than the opposite position. Furthermore, the grip-side magnetic member 134 can also be positioned only at the opposite position.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is configured to include a position opposite to the position of the connector-side magnetic member 155 in the connected state where the hook portion 151 is hooked onto the hook receiving portion 136. However, the grip-side magnetic member 134 may be configured to be located in the portion of the connector fitting portion 132 excluding the aforementioned opposing position, specifically, on the inner side of the connector fitting portion 132 and on the opening 133 side, respectively, or it may be configured to be located only on the opening 133 side. In these cases, since the grip-side magnetic member 134 is not provided at the aforementioned opposing position within the connector fitting portion 132, the connector 150 can be smoothly pulled out from within the connector fitting portion 132.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is positioned within the connector fitting portion 132 at a location on the side of the opening 133 and further inward than the opening 133. As a result, when the connector 150 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 132, the grip-side magnetic member 134 and the connector-side magnetic member 155 attract each other by magnetic force, thereby naturally pulling the connector 150 deeper into the connector fitting portion 132.

[0079] In other words, the cane 100 makes it easy to insert the connector 150 into the connector fitting portion 132 until it abuts against the hook receiving portion 136. However, the grip-side magnetic member 134 may be positioned so that it reaches the opening 133 within the connector fitting portion 132. In this case, the cane 100 makes it easier to insert the connector 150 into the connector fitting portion 132 from the opening 133 because both magnetic members (134, 155) attract each other.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is formed by bending the two long sides of a rectangular plate material in plan view so that its cross-sectional shape is C-shaped (or U-shaped). However, the grip-side magnetic member 134 is not limited to the above embodiment, and only needs to have a shape and size that allows the connector 150 to be attached to the pole body 101 by the mutual attraction of both magnetic members (134, 155). Therefore, the grip-side magnetic member 134 may simply be formed in the shape of a flat plate.

[0081] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connector-side magnetic member 155 is provided on the lower surface of the intermediate portion 153 of the connector 150 (the surface opposite to the side from which the hook portion 151 protrudes). However, the position in which the connector-side magnetic member 155 is provided is not limited to the above embodiment, and any position in which the connector 150 can be attached to the pole body 101 by the mutual attraction of both magnetic members (134, 155) is sufficient. For example, the connector-side magnetic member 155 can be provided across any surface other than the lower surface that constitutes the intermediate portion 153 (top surface, left side, or right side), any surface that constitutes the hook portion 151 (first inclined surface 151a, wall surface 151c, second inclined surface 151d, or lower surface 151e), or across multiple of these surfaces. In these cases, the connector-side magnetic member 155 may be arranged to be in direct contact with the grip-side magnetic member 134, or it may be arranged without contact.

[0082] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connector-side magnetic member 155 is configured to be exposed flush with the lower surface of the intermediate portion 153. However, the connector-side magnetic member 155 may be positioned so that its surface (shown lower surface) is recessed relative to the outer surface of the connector 150. Alternatively, the connector-side magnetic member 155 may be embedded inside the connector 150 without its surface being exposed. In this case, when the connector 150 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 132, the connector-side magnetic member 155 does not directly contact the grip-side magnetic member 134, but attracts each other non-contactively through a predetermined distance, thus allowing the two magnetic members (134, 155) to be easily separated.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the magnetic member 155 on the connector side was positioned on the outer surface of the connector 150 with its surface (indicated lower surface) exposed. However, the magnetic member 155 on the connector side may be configured with a resin protective film or coating covering its surface (indicated lower surface). In this case, the magnetic member 155 on the connector side is not directly exposed to the outside by the protective film or coating, thus preventing contamination.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connector-side magnetic member 155 is made of a magnet having an attractive force such that the connector 150 is pulled into the connector fitting portion 132 when the connector 150 is inserted into the connector fitting portion 132. However, the magnetic force of the connector-side magnetic member 155 is not limited to the above embodiment, and any magnetic force that can attach the connector 150 to the pole body 101 by attracting each other with the grip-side magnetic member 134 is sufficient.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cane 100 has a grip-side magnetic member 134 made of a magnetic metal material, and a connector-side magnetic member 155 made of a magnet. With this configuration, since the grip-side magnetic member 134 of the cane 100 is made of a magnetic metal material, foreign objects attracted by magnetic force can be prevented from being adsorbed into the connector fitting portion 132. Also, since the connector-side magnetic member 155 of the cane 100 is made of a magnet, the connector 150 can be easily stored by being attached to a part other than the pole body 101, such as a wall, table, or shelf made of a magnet or magnetic metal. However, the cane 100 only needs to have at least one of the two magnetic members (134, 155) made of a magnet.

[0086] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connector 150 is configured with a mounting portion 152 for attaching the strap 160, which is a through hole that penetrates in the thickness direction of the connector 150. However, the shape of the mounting portion 152 is not limited to the above embodiment, as long as it is a shape that allows the object to be connected to be attached to the connector 150. For example, the connector 150 can have the mounting portion 152 formed in the same shape as the hook portion 151 (with a claw-shaped cross-section). In this case, the connector mounting portion 163 on the strap 160 can be made of a component with a claw-shaped cross-section that can hook onto the protruding portion of the mounting portion 152 and connect.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the strap 160 is configured with the connector attachment portion 163 provided near the thumb hole portion 161b. However, the attachment position of the connector attachment portion 163 is not limited to the above embodiment and can be provided at any position on the strap 160.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the object to be connected was composed of a strap 160. However, the object to be connected is not limited to the above embodiment and can be composed of any item according to the user's preference. For example, the object to be connected can be a holder for storing or holding items such as keys, writing instruments, cash, cards, mobile phones, cosmetics, memo paper (for example, a cloth or resin pouch for storing items or a fixing device for detachably securing items to the pole body 101), a reflective material, or a flashlight.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the upper shaft 111 and the lower shaft 112 were each made of aluminum. However, the upper shaft 111 and the lower shaft 112 can also be made of materials other than aluminum, such as other metals, wood, or resin.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the upper shaft 111 and the lower shaft 112 were each made of pipe material. However, the upper shaft 111 and the lower shaft 112 can also be made of materials other than pipe material, for example, solid rod material extending vertically.

[0091] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the shaft 110 is configured to be extendable and retractable by comprising an upper shaft 111, a lower shaft 112, and a height adjuster 113. However, the shaft 110 may be configured as a non-extendable rod-shaped body of a fixed length by omitting the height adjuster 113, or it may be configured to be foldable by being separable into multiple parts.

[0092] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the cane 100 was described as being used in a manner in which the left side of the grip 120 shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8-9 is the front side of the cane 100, with the front portion of the cane 100 facing forward, and the right side of the grip 120 shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8-9 is the rear side of the cane 100, with the rear portion of the cane 100 facing backward. However, the cane 100 can be used in any orientation according to the user's preference. For example, the user can also use the cane 100 by gripping the grip 120 in a manner in which the right side of the grip 120 shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8-9 is the front side of the cane 100, with the front portion of the cane 100 facing forward, and the left side of the grip 120 shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8-9 is the rear side of the cane 100, with the rear portion of the cane 100 facing backward. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] 100... cane, 101... pole body, 110... shaft, 111...Upper shaft, 112...Lower shaft, 113...Height adjuster, 120...Grip 121...Grip body, 121a...Grip core material, 121b...Grip surface material, 122... Shaft mounting hole, 130... Operator housing hole, 131... Operator mounting section, 132...Connector fitting part, 132a...bottom surface, 132b...left side surface, 132c...right side surface, 132d...Top surface, 133...Opening, 134...Grip-side magnetic member, 135...Operator, 136...Hook receiving part, 137...Release operation part, 140...Cap, 150...Connecting device, 151...Hooking part, 151a...First inclined surface, 151b...Recess, 151c...Wall surface, 151d...Second slope, 151e...Bottom surface, 152...Mounting part, 153...Intermediate part, 154...Magnetic member holding part, 155...Connector-side magnetic member, 160...Strap, 161...Strap body, 161a...Guide part, 161b...Thumb hole, 162...Flip-on fastener, 163...Connector mounting section.

Claims

1. The pole body is formed in the shape of a rod, The pole body is equipped with a connecting device that is detachably connected to it, The pole body is, The connector has a hooking receiving portion on which it is hooked, and one of a pair of magnetic members, at least one of which is made of a magnet and attracts each other, is provided near the hooking receiving portion, including the hooking receiving portion. The aforementioned connector is A cane characterized by having a hook portion for hooking onto the aforementioned hook receiving portion, and the other of the pair of magnetic members being provided near the hook portion including the hook portion.

2. In the cane described in claim 1, The pole body is, An open connector fitting portion is formed on the outer surface, into which the connector can be detachably fitted. A cane characterized in that the hook receiving portion and one of the pair of magnetic members are provided within the connecting fitting portion.

3. In the cane described in claim 2, One of the pair of magnetic members provided within the connector fitting portion is A cane characterized in that at least a portion of it is provided on the side of the connecting fitting portion that opens, more so than the position of the other of the pair of magnetic members in the connected state in which the hook portion is hooked onto the hook receiving portion.

4. In the cane described in claim 2, One of the pair of magnetic members is A cane characterized by being made of a magnetic metal.

5. In the cane described in claim 2, The pair of magnetic members are A cane characterized in that at least one of the magnetic members is made of a magnet having an attractive force sufficient to pull the connector into the connector fitting portion.

6. In the cane described in claim 1, The other of the pair of magnetic members is A cane characterized by being made of magnets.

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