Walking aids

Abstract

To provide a walking aid cane which has a simple and lightweight structure, has a structure for absorbing shock transmitted to the human body when used, and has an effect of pushing a user's hands and arms forward to support the user's walking. [Solution] A walking aid cane 1 has a grip part 10 and a pillar part 20 that is detachably connected to the grip part 10. The grip part 10 has a pillar holding part 12 in which a bottomed cylindrical insertion hole part corresponding to the pillar part 20 is formed, and the pillar part 20 has a pillar head part that is inserted into the insertion hole part and connected to the pillar holding part 12, a pillar base part that is disposed outside the pillar holding part 12 when the pillar head part is connected to the pillar holding part 12, and a shock absorbing part that connects the pillar head part and the pillar base part and is formed to fit into the insertion hole part.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a walking aid that has a structure that absorbs shock transmitted to the human body. [Background technology]

[0002] In what is said to be an era in which people can live to 100 years old, how to maintain health and live a fulfilling life in old age is a major concern for people. As people age, their muscle strength weakens, and when the legs and hips become weak, walking becomes unstable and people may fall. In preparation for such situations, walking sticks (also called walking aids) have traditionally been used to support the body and assist in stabilizing walking. Conventional walking aids include walking aids equipped with a structure that absorbs shock when the bottom end (also called the ferrule) comes into contact with the ground (see, for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-211915 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-68918 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2009-233041 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The walking aids disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents have a problem in that the structure of the parts involved in shock absorption is complex and tends to be heavy.

[0005] In the case of the walking aid cane disclosed in Patent Document 1, the part related to shock absorption is structured to utilize the repulsion of a spring, and in addition to the spring, it is equipped with a bolt and also has a length adjustment means including a cylindrical collet and a stopper. In addition, the elastic telescopic cane disclosed in Patent Document 2 is intended to assist walking and strengthen muscles, and the part related to shock absorption is structured to utilize the repulsion of air, and also has a part for adjusting the overall length. Furthermore, the walking aid cane disclosed in Patent Document 3 has four support legs, each of which is provided with a compression spring or a rod member.

[0006] All of these canes had many components separate from the main support (rod) part of the cane, which made the structure complex and made them prone to becoming heavy. When the weight increases, the burden on the hand holding the cane increases, making it difficult to walk and risking strain on the wrist, elbow, shoulder, etc.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a walking aid that has a simple and lightweight structure yet has a structure that absorbs the shock transmitted to the human body when in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention features a walking aid cane having a grip portion and a support portion that is detachably connected to the grip portion, the grip portion having a support holding portion with a bottomed, cylindrical insertion hole portion formed therein that corresponds to the support portion, the support portion having a support head portion that is inserted into the insertion hole portion and connected to the support holding portion, a support base portion that is positioned on the outside of the support holding portion when the support head portion is connected to the support holding portion, and a shock absorbing portion that connects the support head portion and the support base portion and is formed to fit within the insertion hole portion.

[0009] In the above-mentioned walking aid cane, it is preferable that the post head has a head through hole formed along the axial cross direction, the post holding portion has a holding portion through hole formed corresponding to the head through hole so as to pass through the insertion hole portion along the axial cross direction, and the grip portion and the post portion are connected by screw fastening using a screw part that passes through the holding portion through hole and the head through hole.

[0010] In addition, in the above-mentioned walking aid cane, the shock absorbing part has a spring that can be accommodated in the insertion hole part, and first and second locking plate parts that are arranged to sandwich the spring along the axial direction and are fixed to the spring, and the support part can have a structure in which the support head part, the first locking plate part, the spring, the second locking plate part and the support base part are arranged in a straight line.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned walking aid cane, the pillar holding portion has an engagement through hole formed therein so as to pass through the insertion hole portion in the axial cross direction, and when the engagement part is inserted into the engagement through hole, the spring is engaged by the engagement part.

[0012] The head portion and base portion of the support pillar may be formed with first and second engagement recesses that allow the first and second locking plate portions to be engaged with and disengaged from the support pillar. Effect of the Invention

[0013] As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a walking aid cane that is simple in structure, lightweight, and yet has a structure that absorbs shock transmitted to the human body when in use. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a walking aid cane according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a front view of a grip portion constituting the walking aid cane of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a partially omitted perspective view showing the main part of a support part constituting the walking aid cane of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 2 is a front view of a support part constituting the walking aid cane of FIG. 1. [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the operation of the walking aid in FIG. 1, in which (a) shows the operation from when the walking aid touches the ground until it becomes vertical, and (b) shows the operation from when the walking aid becomes vertical until it leaves the ground. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a walking assist cane according to a modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a walking assist cane according to another modified example. [Figure 9] 10 is a partially omitted front view showing the main parts of a walking aid cane according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a partially omitted front view showing the walking aid cane of FIG. 9 when the locking part is inserted into the upper locking through-hole. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partially omitted front view of the locking part when it is inserted into the lower locking through-hole. [Figure 12] 13 is a partially omitted front view showing the main parts of a walking aid cane according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a partially omitted perspective view showing the main parts of the support pillar base and the shock absorbing part. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a partially exploded front view showing the main parts of the support pillar. [Figure 15] 11 is a front view showing a plurality of shock absorbing parts having springs of different lengths; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0016] (First embodiment) A walking aid cane 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. Fig. 1 is a front view showing the walking aid cane 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of a grip portion 10 constituting the walking aid cane 1, Fig. 3 is a bottom view thereof, Fig. 4 is a partially omitted perspective view showing a main portion of a support portion 20 constituting the walking aid cane 1, and Fig. 5 is a front view of the support portion 20.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, walking aid cane 1 has a grip part 10 and a support part 20 that is detachably connected to grip part 10. Grip part 10 is a member made of, for example, wood, synthetic resin, or metal, and has a handle 11 and a support holding part 12, with the two being integrated into one structure.

[0018] The handle 11 is a part that is held by the user's hand when the user holds the walking aid cane 1, and is formed in a generally rectangular shape in plan view as shown in FIG.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2, the pole holding part 12 is a part formed on the back surface 11a of the handle 11, and is a cylindrical part with a bottom that extends in a direction that intersects the back surface 11a almost perpendicularly. As shown in Fig. 3, an insertion hole part 13 is formed on the inside of the pole holding part 12.

[0020] The insertion hole 13 is a bottomed hole having a circular cross section according to the outer shape of the support 20, and has an opening at the end 12a of the support holder 12, which is connected to the rear surface 11a of the handle 11 (the depth of the insertion hole 13 is D13, see FIG. 2). The support holder 12 is also formed with a holder through hole 14. The holder through hole 14 passes through the support holder 12 through the insertion hole 13 in a direction intersecting the central axis of the support 20 (also called the axis intersecting direction). The holder through hole 14 is formed so as to correspond to the head through hole 23 (to be overlapped with the head through hole 23) when the support 20 is inserted into the insertion hole 13. An inverted triangular insertion mark 15 is formed near the lower end of the side surface 12b of the support holder 12.

[0021] 4 and 5, the support part 20 is a generally rod-shaped member made of, for example, wood, synthetic resin, or metal, and mainly made of a support head 21 with a circular cross section and a support base 22. The support part 20 has a structure in which the shock absorbing part 40 is disposed between the support head 21 and the support base 22, and is arranged in a straight line as shown in Fig. 5, and has a structure in which the ferrule 25 provided at the lower end of the support base 22 is integral with the support head 21.

[0022] The column head 21 is a member formed in a generally cylindrical or thick disk shape, and is inserted into the insertion hole 13 of the column holder 12 to be connected to the column holder 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the column head 21 has a head through hole 23 and a triangular insertion mark 24 formed on its side surface 21a. The head through hole 23 is formed to penetrate the column head 21 along the axial cross direction so as to correspond to the holder through hole 14 of the column holder 12. The insertion mark 24 is formed on the upper side of the column head 21 at a position corresponding to the insertion mark 15 of the column holder 12, and is used together with the insertion mark 15 as a mark for aligning the holder through hole 14 and the head through hole 23. In addition, a locking plate portion 31 of the shock absorbing portion 40, which will be described later, is fixed and integrated with the bottom surface 21b of the column head 21 by adhesion or the like.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 5, the post base 22 is a long rod-shaped member (or may be partially hollow to reduce weight) with a circular cross section having the same thickness as the post head 21. When the post head 21 is connected to the post holder 12, the portion up to the insertion line 22a fits into the insertion hole 13, and the other portion is arranged outside the post holder 12 (the length from the insertion line 22a to the upper surface 21c of the post head 21 is L20, and this length L20 coincides with the depth D13 of the insertion hole 13). A locking plate portion 32 of the shock absorbing portion 40, which will be described later, is fixed and integrated with the upper surface 22b (see Fig. 4) by adhesion or the like. In addition, a ferrule 25 made of rubber or the like is fixed and integrated with the bottom surface 22c by adhesion or the like.

[0024] 4 and 5, the shock absorbing part 40 has a spring 30 and locking plate parts 31, 32, and is a member arranged so that the locking plate parts 31, 32 sandwich the spring 30 from both sides in the direction along the central axis of the support part 20 (also called the "axial direction"), and is formed so that the entire part fits into the insertion hole part 13. The support head part 21 and the support base part 22 are connected by the shock absorbing part 40, forming the support part 20 with a single rod-like structure as shown in FIG.

[0025] The spring 30 is a compression coil-shaped member having a diameter that fits into the insertion hole 13, and the locking plates 31, 32 are connected to both ends of the spring 30 and are integrated with the locking plates 31, 32. The spring 30 is accommodated in the insertion hole 13 so that the natural length is maintained and the spring can effectively contract. The locking plates 31, 32 are disk-shaped members manufactured using, for example, metal, synthetic resin, etc., and are formed to have a diameter that matches the pillar head 21 and the pillar base 22 so that the spring can fit into the insertion hole 13. As shown in FIG. 4, the locking plates 31, 32 are fixed to the bottom surface 21b of the pillar head 21 and the top surface 22b of the pillar base 22, respectively.

[0026] The walking assist cane 1 is formed by carrying out the following assembly operations 1), 2), 3), and 4) using the grip portion 10 and the support portion 20 as described above.

[0027] 1) The support part 20 is aligned with the grip part 10 so that the insertion mark 24 of the support head 21 faces the insertion mark 15 of the grip part 10. 2) The support head 21 is inserted into the insertion hole part 13. 3) Following the support head 21, the shock absorbing part 40 and a part of the support base part 22 (the part from the upper surface 22b to the insertion line 22a) are inserted straight (without rotating around the axis) until the support head 21 abuts against the bottom of the insertion hole part 13. 4) The screw part 41 is inserted through the holding part through hole 14 and the head through hole 23 and screw fastened (the nut 41a shown in FIG. 3 is screwed onto the end of the screw part 41).

[0028] When assembly steps 1), 2), and 3) are completed, the shock absorbing part 40 is accommodated in the insertion hole part 13 together with the pillar head part 21, and the part of the pillar base part 22 from the upper surface 22b to the insertion line 22a is also accommodated in the insertion hole part 13. Furthermore, by aligning the parts using the insertion marks 24 and 15, the holding part through hole 14 and the head through hole 23 are reliably aligned to form a communicating through hole. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the screw part 41 can be inserted into the through hole to perform the screw fastening in 4). This integrates the grip part 10 and the pillar part 20. When assembly steps 1), 2), 3), and 4) are completed, the walking aid cane 1 is completed as shown in FIG. 1.

[0029] The operation of the walking aid 1 described above will be described below with reference to Fig. 6. The walking aid 1 is used by a user (not shown) holding the grip portion 10 in one hand and allowing the ferrule 25 to strike the ground G while walking.

[0030] Then, after the ferrule 25 hits the ground G, the load from the user acts on the support part 20 via the grip part 10. At the time of the impact, the walking aid 1 stands upright, tilted slightly from the vertical towards the user, as shown in FIG. 6(a). In the walking aid 1, the shock absorbing part 40 is housed in the insertion hole 13 of the grip part 10, and the spring 30 of the shock absorbing part 40 is sandwiched between the support head part 21 and the support base part 22. Therefore, the spring 30 contracts along the arrow f1 due to the load from the user and the reaction from the ground G. Thereafter, the inclination of the walking aid 1 changes in the direction shown by the arrow f2 as the user walks.

[0031] 6(b), as the user walks, the inclination of the walking aid 1 changes in the direction indicated by arrow f3, and then the ferrule 25 leaves the ground G. Then, the load from the user no longer acts on the support part 20 from the grip part 10, and as a result, the load from the user acting on the shock absorbing part 40 and the reaction force from the ground G also disappear. Therefore, the spring 30 extends in the direction indicated by arrow f4, and its natural length is restored.

[0032] By the above-mentioned operation of the walking aid cane 1, the spring 30 contracts while the user is walking, and then restores its original length. Therefore, shock absorption when the ferrule 25 collides with the ground G (as in FIG. 6(a)) and forward thrust that pushes the user forward (in the user's traveling direction) as the spring 30 returns to its natural length alternate. The shock absorption has the effect of absorbing the shock when the ferrule 25 collides with the ground G while walking, and the forward thrust has the effect of pushing the user's hands and arms forward to support their walking.

[0033] In this way, the walking aid 1 has the effect of absorbing shocks received by the user while walking, and therefore can reduce the risk of the user injuring their wrists, elbows, shoulders, etc. when using the walking aid 1. In addition, the walking aid 1 has the effect of pushing the user's hands and arms forward, and therefore has the effect of assisting or supporting the user's walking.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 5, the support part 20 of the walking aid cane 1 has a support head part 21, a support base part 22, and a shock absorbing part 40, which are integrated into one structure. Such a support part 20 has a dimension almost equivalent to that of a single imaginary rod-shaped member (not shown) having a length from the back surface 11a of the handle 11 to the ferrule 25, with a shock absorbing part 40 housed in the removed part. If a part is removed, the weight is reduced by the amount of the removed part. In this way, even if the shock absorbing part 40 is provided and the weight increases due to the spring 30 and the locking plate parts 31 and 32, the increase in weight is offset to some extent by the weight reduction due to the removal of the part, and as a result, the weight of the support part 20 is not significantly different from that of the rod-shaped member before the removal, or is only slightly increased. Therefore, in the walking aid cane 1, the weight increase due to the provision of the shock absorbing part 40 is suppressed. Therefore, the walking assist cane 1 has a structure that absorbs the shock transmitted to the human body when in use, and is also lightweight.

[0035] Furthermore, the walking aid cane 1 is mainly made up of two members, the grip part 10 and the support part 20, and the grip part 10 and the support part 20 are connected only by a screw part 41 and a nut 41a. Therefore, the walking aid cane 1 has a simple structure, which also makes it lightweight.

[0036] Therefore, the walking aid cane 1 has a structure that absorbs shock while being simple and lightweight. The walking aid cane 1 also has the effect of pushing the user's hands and arms forward to support the user's walking. Because of its simple structure, the walking aid cane 1 can also be manufactured inexpensively.

[0037] (Modification) Next, walking aid canes 71 and 72 according to the modified examples will be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8. Figs. 7 and 8 are front views showing walking aid canes 71 and 72 according to the modified examples, respectively. As shown in Fig. 7, walking aid cane 71 has a grip part 50 and a support part 60. Like the grip part 10 described above, grip part 50 is a member made of wood, synthetic resin, or metal, for example, and has a handle 51 that is held by hand when holding walking aid cane 71, a support holding part 52, and a connection part 53 that connects the two, and has an integrated structure. Handle 51 is a part that is held by hand when holding walking aid cane 71, but has a different shape from handle 11. Support holding part 52 is a cylindrical part with a bottom that extends in a direction that intersects with the back surface 51a of handle 51 almost perpendicularly, like support holding part 12, and has an insertion hole part 13 similar to support holding part 12 formed inside.

[0038] The support column 60 is a member having a circular cross section and made of wood, synthetic resin or metal, similar to the support column 20, and has the support column head 21 and shock absorbing section 40, similar to the support column 20, and has a support column base 62. The support column base 62 is a generally rod-shaped member, similar to the support column base 22, on the underside of which four support legs 63 are provided instead of the ferrule 25. In the walking aid cane 71, a part of the support column base 62 is housed in the insertion hole 13 of the support column holder 52 together with the support column head 21 and shock absorbing section 40 of the support column 60, and the grip section 50 and the support column 60 are integrated by screw fastening, similar to the walking aid cane 1.

[0039] 8, walking aid cane 72 is a crutch having grip portion 80 and support portion 20. Grip portion 80 is a member made of wood, synthetic resin, or metal, for example, similar to grip portion 10, and has handle 81 to be held by hand when walking aid cane 72 is held, support holding portion 82, and arm holding portion 83, which are integrated into one structure. Handle 81 is a portion to be held by hand when walking aid cane 72 is held, but has a different shape from handle 11. Support holding portion 82 has a cylindrical portion with a bottom that extends in a direction intersecting substantially perpendicularly with back surface 81a of handle 81, similar to support holding portion 12, and has insertion hole portion 13 formed inside thereof, similar to support holding portion 12. In the walking aid cane 72, a portion of the pillar base 22, along with the pillar head 21 and shock absorbing portion 40 of the pillar portion 20, is accommodated in the insertion hole portion 13 of the pillar holding portion 82, and the grip portion 80 and the pillar portion 20 are integrated by screw fastening in the same manner as the walking aid cane 1.

[0040] The walking aid canes 71 and 72 according to the modified examples also have the same effect as the walking aid cane 1 described above. In particular, the walking aid cane 71 does not have a structure in which a spring is provided in each of the four support legs 63 as in the conventional walking aid cane disclosed in Patent Document 3, but has a shock absorbing part 40 provided only at one location on the inside of the support pole holding part 52. The walking aid cane 72 also has a shock absorbing part 40 provided only at one location on the inside of the support pole holding part 82. Therefore, the weight increase due to the shock absorbing part 40 is suppressed in both cases. Furthermore, the walking aid canes 71 and 72 have a structure that is almost the same overall as compared to conventional canes of the same type. Therefore, the walking aid canes 71 and 72 also have a simple and lightweight structure, while having a shock absorbing structure.

[0041] (Second embodiment) Next, a walking aid cane 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9 to Fig. 11. Fig. 9 is a partially omitted front view showing a main part of the walking aid cane 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 10 is a partially omitted front view of the same when the locking part 42 is inserted into the upper locking through-hole 115, and Fig. 11 is a partially omitted front view of the same when the locking part 42 is inserted into the lower screw hole 116.

[0042] A walking aid cane 101 according to the second embodiment has a grip part 110 and a support part 120 that is detachably connected to the grip part 110. The walking aid cane 101 has a shock absorbing part 140, the hardness of which can be adjusted.

[0043] The grip portion 110 is a member made of wood, synthetic resin, or metal, similar to the grip portion 10 described above, and has a handle 11 and a post holding portion 112 similar to those described above, with the two being integrated into one structure.

[0044] The post holding part 112 is a cylindrical part with a bottom similar to the post holding part 12 described above, but its length is longer than the post holding part 12 (for example, about 1.3 to 2 times that of the post holding part 12), and the insertion hole part 113 on the inside is also formed deeper than the insertion hole part 13. In addition, locking through holes 115, 116 are formed at two places, upper and lower, in a "spring area" 113A (a part of the insertion hole part 113 where a spring 130 described later is arranged) on the side surface. The locking through holes 115, 116 are formed so as to pass through the insertion hole part 113 in the axial intersecting direction. Locking parts 42 are inserted into the upper locking through hole 115 and the lower locking through hole 116, respectively.

[0045] The support part 120 is a generally rod-shaped member made of wood, synthetic resin, or metal, similar to the support part 20, and mainly consists of a support head part 21 with a circular cross-section and a support base part 122. However, compared to the support part 20, it differs in that the support base part 122 and the shock absorbing part 140 are provided in place of the support base part 22 and the shock absorbing part 40.

[0046] The pillar base 122 differs from the pillar base 22 in that the length of the pillar base 122 is shorter than that of the pillar base 22 (corresponding to the pillar holding portion 112 and the shock absorbing portion 140 being longer than the pillar holding portion 12 and the shock absorbing portion 40).

[0047] Shock absorbing part 140 is the same as shock absorbing part 40 in that it has locking plate parts 31 and 32, but differs in that it has spring 130 instead of spring 30, and therefore has a longer overall length than shock absorbing part 40. Spring 130 is different from spring 30 in that it is formed to be longer than spring 30 (corresponding to the fact that the length of support pole holding part 112 is formed to be longer).

[0048] The walking aid cane 101 has the same effect as the walking aid cane 1, but also has a different effect due to the length of the post holding portion 112, the insertion hole portion 113, and the spring 130 being longer (than the post holding portion 12, the insertion hole portion 13, and the spring 30), and the provision of locking through holes 115, 116 through which locking parts 42 are inserted.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 10, when the locking part 42 is inserted through the upper locking through-hole 115, the locking part 42 passes through the spring 130, and the spring 130 is locked by the locking part 42, so that the movement of the spring 130 is restricted. Therefore, there is no expansion or contraction between the strut head 21 of the spring 130 and the locking part 42, and the range of expansion and contraction of the spring 130 is limited to a lower side than the locking through-hole 115. Then, for example, if the locking through-hole 115 is formed on the lower side by 30% of the length from the top of the spring area 113A, the movable range of the spring 130 is limited to a range of 70% of the spring area 113A. Therefore, the length of expansion and contraction of the spring 130 is also limited to 70%, and the number of effective turns is also limited to 70%. As a result, the displacement (deflection) of the spring 130 becomes 70%, and the spring 130 becomes difficult to contract (the stiffness of the spring 130 increases).

[0050] 11, when the locking part 42 is inserted through the lower locking through-hole 116, the movement of the spring 130 is similarly restricted, and the range of expansion and contraction of the spring 130 is limited to a range of 30% of the spring area 113A downwards. In this case, for example, if the locking through-hole 116 is formed 30% of the length upwards from the bottom of the spring area 113A, the movable range of the spring 130 is limited to a range of 30% of the spring area 113A, so that the length of expansion and contraction of the spring 130 and the number of effective turns are limited to 30%. As a result, the displacement (deflection) of the spring 130 becomes 30%, and the spring 130 becomes more difficult to contract.

[0051] As described above, the walking aid cane 101 can limit the range of movement of the spring 130 and adjust the hardness of the spring 130 by inserting the locking parts 42 into the locking through-holes 115 and 116. Therefore, the walking aid cane 101 can be used with ease according to the physical strength and body size of the user.

[0052] (Third embodiment) Next, a walking aid cane 201 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12 to Fig. 15. Fig. 12 is a partially omitted front view showing the main parts of the walking aid cane 201 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 13 is a partially omitted perspective view showing the main parts of the support base 222 and the shock absorbing part 40L, Fig. 14 is a partially omitted front view showing the main parts of the support part 220 in an exploded state, and Fig. 15 is a front view showing the shock absorbing parts 40S, 40M, and 40L having different spring lengths.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 12, a walking aid cane 201 according to the third embodiment has a grip part 10 and a support part 220 detachably connected to the grip part 10. In the walking aid cane 101 described above, the hardness of the shock absorbing part 140 (spring 130) can be adjusted. In contrast, in the walking aid cane 201, the shock absorbing part 40L provided on the support part 220 can be replaced, thereby adjusting the hardness of the shock absorbing part (spring) and adjusting the length of the support part 220, and therefore the length of the entire walking aid cane 201 can be adjusted.

[0054] Like support portion 20, support portion 220 is a generally rod-shaped member made of wood, synthetic resin, or metal with a circular cross-section, and differs from support portion 20 in that it has a support head portion 221 and a support base portion 222 instead of support head portion 21 and support base portion 22, and in that it has an impact absorbing portion 40L instead of impact absorbing portion 40.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5, the aforementioned support portion 20 had an integral rod-shaped structure in which the support head portion 21 and the support base portion 22 were connected by the shock absorbing portion 40. However, as shown in Figure 14, in the support portion 220, the support head portion 221 and the support base portion 222 are separate bodies, and the shock absorbing portion 40L can be freely attached and detached to both of them.

[0056] The column head 221 is a member formed in a generally cylindrical or thick-walled disk shape similar to the column head 21 described above, but differs from the column head 21 in that an engagement recess 221a and an engagement groove 221b are formed, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The engagement recess 221a is a recess formed according to the thickness and shape of the locking plate 31 of the shock absorbing part 40L so that the locking plate 31 can be engaged and disengaged, and is formed by cutting out the side surface of the column head 221 so that a part of the side surface remains. The engagement groove 221b is formed by cutting out a part of the side surface from the outer end surface 221c of the column head 221 to the engagement recess 221a toward the center. The locking plate 31 of the shock absorbing part 40L is fitted into the engagement recess 221a, and at that time, the connection end 40a of the spring 30 is accommodated in the engagement groove 221b.

[0057] The pillar base 222 is a rod-shaped member with a circular cross section similar to the pillar base 22 described above, but differs from the pillar base 22 in that an engagement recess 222a and an engagement groove 222b are formed near the outer end surface 222c to allow engagement and removal of the locking plate 32. The engagement recess 222a and the engagement groove 222b are formed in the same manner as the engagement recess 221a and the engagement groove 221b, respectively. The locking plate 32 of the shock absorbing part 40L is fitted into the engagement recess 222a, and at that time, the connection end 40b of the spring 30 is accommodated in the engagement groove 222b.

[0058] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the impact absorbing part 40L is similar to the previously described impact absorbing part 40 in that it has a spring 30, a locking plate part 31, and a locking plate part 32, but differs in that the locking plate parts 31 and 32 are not fixed integrally to the pillar head part 221 and the pillar base part 222, respectively, but have a separate unit structure.

[0059] Then, for the shock absorbing part 40L, the locking plates 31, 32 can be fitted into the engagement recesses 221a, 222a, respectively, while fitting the connection ends 40a, 40b of the spring 30 into the engagement grooves 221b, 222b, respectively. In this way, the locking plates 31, 32 engage with the support head 221 and support base 222, respectively, and the support head 221, shock absorbing part 40L and support base 222 are integrated to form the support part 220. The support part 220 is a single rod-shaped structure similar to the support part 20. The support part 220 and the grip part 10 form the walking aid cane 201.

[0060] The walking aid 201 achieves the same effect as the walking aid 1, but also achieves a different effect by having the shock absorbing section 40L in the support section 220 as a unit structure that is separate from the support head section 221 and the support base section 222 and can be attached and detached freely.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 15, the shock absorbing part 40L is formed with a total length of L, but instead of the shock absorbing part 40L, a shock absorbing part 40M with a total length of M can be used, or a shock absorbing part 40S with a total length of S can be used (L>M>S, for example, 10 cm, 7 cm, and 5 cm, respectively). The shock absorbing parts 40L, 40M, and 40S have different lengths of the spring 30 and therefore different numbers of turns, but are otherwise common (spring material and thickness). The difference in length results in a different spring constant for each of the shock absorbing parts 40L, 40M, and 40S. Therefore, by replacing the shock absorbing parts 40L, 40M, and 40S, the spring's resistance to contraction changes, and the hardness can be adjusted. Furthermore, since the lengths of the shock absorbing parts 40L, 40M, 40S themselves differ, by replacing the shock absorbing parts 40L, 40M, 40S, the distance between the pillar head part 221 and the pillar base part 222 changes, and as a result, the length of the pillar part 220 changes, and the overall length can also be adjusted.

[0062] Therefore, the walking assist cane 201 can be made easier to use depending on the physical strength and body size of the user.

[0063] Also, two shock absorbing parts 40S, 40S may be arranged in series so that the locking plates 31, 32 are in contact with each other, one of which is connected to the support base 222 and the other to the support head 221 to form the support part 220. For example, when the shock absorbing parts 40S, 40L have different lengths S that are half the length L (S=L / 2) and have the same spring material and thickness, the spring constant of the shock absorbing part 40S is twice the spring constant of the shock absorbing part 40L. Therefore, when two shock absorbing parts 40S, 40S are arranged in series, the spring constant is the same as the spring constant of the shock absorbing part 40L. On the other hand, if the spring constant of the shock absorbing part 40L is increased by changing the thickness, etc., and made the same as the spring constant of the shock absorbing part 40S (both shock absorbing parts 40S and 40L have a spring constant K), the spring constant KX when the shock absorbing parts 40S, 40S are arranged in series can be made smaller than the spring constant of the shock absorbing part 40L (1 / KX=1 / K+1 / K, so KX=K / 2). Therefore, with the walking aid cane 201, it is possible to adjust only the ease of contraction of the spring while keeping the length the same. However, when the shock absorbing parts 40S, 40S are arranged in series, they are connected to form a single unit. For example, one of the locking plate portions 31, 32 can be made of iron and the other made of magnetic (manufactured with a magnet) so that they are magnetically attached to each other and become one unit, or a connecting member not shown (for example, a member that clamps and secures the peripheral portions of the overlapping locking plate portions 31, 32) can be used to make the shock absorbing portions 40S, 40S one unit (the same applies to the shock absorbing portions 40M, 40L).

[0064] (others) The walking aid cane 101 according to the second embodiment has two locking through holes 115, 116, but another locking through hole may be formed in addition to the locking through holes 115, 116 (a total of three or more holes may be formed). Also, the two locking through holes 115, 116 are respectively formed at positions 30% below and 30% above the bottom of the spring area 113A, but the two locking through holes 115, 116 (or another locking through hole) may be formed at positions different from these.

[0065] The above description is of the embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the device and method of the present invention, and various modifications can be easily implemented. Furthermore, the present invention also includes devices that are configured by appropriately combining the components, functions, features, or method steps in each embodiment. [Industrial Applicability]

[0066] By applying this device, a walking aid cane can be obtained that has a simple and lightweight structure and is structured to absorb shocks transmitted to the human body during use. This device can be used in the field of walking aids. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1,71,72,101,201...walking aid, 10,50,80,110...grip portion, 12,52,82,112...post holding portion, 13,113...insertion hole portion, 14...holding portion through hole, 20,60,120,220...post portion, 21,221...post head portion, 22,62,122,222...post base portion, 23...head through hole, 30,130...spring, 31,32...locking plate portion, 40,40L,40M,40S...shock absorbing portion, 41...screw part, 42...locking part, 115,116...locking through hole, 221a,222a...engagement recess.

Claims

1. A grip portion and a support portion detachably connected to the grip portion, The grip portion has a support post holding portion having a bottomed cylindrical insertion hole formed therein corresponding to the support post, The support portion of the walking aid cane includes a support head portion that is inserted into the insertion hole portion and connected to the support holding portion, a support base portion that is positioned outside the support holding portion when the support head portion is connected to the support holding portion, and an impact absorbing portion that connects the support head portion and the support base portion and is formed to fit into the insertion hole portion.

2. The column head has a head through hole formed along the axial intersecting direction, The column holder has a holder through hole formed therein, the holder through hole corresponding to the head through hole so as to pass through the insertion hole along the axial intersecting direction, 2. A walking aid cane according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion and the support portion are connected by screw fastening using a screw part that passes through the holding portion through-hole and the head through-hole.

3. the shock absorbing portion includes a spring that can be accommodated in the insertion hole portion, and first and second locking plate portions that are arranged to sandwich the spring along the axial direction and are fixed to the spring, 3. The walking aid cane according to claim 2, wherein the support portion has a structure in which the support head portion, the first engaging plate portion, the spring, the second engaging plate portion and the support base portion are arranged in a straight line.

4. A walking aid cane as described in claim 3, wherein the pillar holding portion has an engagement through hole formed so as to pass through the insertion hole portion along the axial intersecting direction, and when an engagement part is inserted into the engagement through hole, the spring is engaged by the engagement part.

5. 4. A walking cane according to claim 3, wherein said column head and said column base are provided with first and second engagement recesses for allowing said first and second engagement plate portions to be engaged with and detached from said column head and said column base, respectively.

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