Support foot assembly

#The present invention relates generally to a novel support foot assembly which is capable of adhering to substantially all support surfaces without slipping, the surfaces including ice, snow, wet floors, wood, and carpet. More particularly, the present invention relates to a support foot assembly which may be used with walking aids such as canes or crutches, which support foot assembly will adhere to substantially all surfaces, which will give the user of a cane security when the cane is extended far in front of the user, and which will also permit a cane to stand by itself.

#Walking aids, such as canes and crutches, are typically provided with removable rubber-like tips, the purpose of the tip being to prevent damage to a walking surface from the walking aid, and also, more importantly, to give good adhesion between the bottom of the walking aid and the walking surface. The most common cane tip in use today is circular, when viewed from the bottom, and has concentric grooves in a slightly concave surface. This form of tip does not work well on all surfaces, and particularly ice and some wet floors. It has a further disadvantage in that, as dust packs within the cane tip, it loses its ability to adhere to wood floors. An ice pick, which can be swung over a rubber tip, is commonly used by people with canes, and a pick will give them some feeling of security on icy surfaces. However, it is necessary for them to swing the ice pick out of the way when they enter a building in order to prevent damage to the floors within the building. Another disadvantages of the common rubber-like cane tips is that they will not permit the cane to stand upon the floor in a free standing mode. Also, because the common tip has only limited flexibility, it does not give the user of the cane security when the cane is extended far in front of the user.

#Various patents have issued which have attempted to address the above problems. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,154 to Edwards discloses a no-slip crutch foot with flexible fingers 56. U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,882 to Levasseur discloses a walking stick tip or foot having a large area and has 5 spaced apart cylindrical projections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,771 to Wilkinson discloses a cane tip of rectangular design, the tip having a large area with ridges 20 on the bottom surface thereof. In addition to the above patents, U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,746 to Sheenan discloses a shoe-like crutch tip, wherein the shoe shown in FIG. 7 is provided with cleats 22. Another U.S. Patent which discloses tips for walking aids is 4,098,283. However, none of the foregoing patented designs have successfully provided a structure which will adhere to virtually all walking surfaces.

#FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the support foot assembly of this invention shown associated with a walking cane, the walking cane being shown in full lines in its normal upright position, where it may be supported by the support foot assembly of this invention, and being shown in various positions of extension in broken lines.

#FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the support foot assembly of this invention, this view being taken generally along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

#With reference now to the various figures, the support foot assembly of this invention is illustrated generally at 10. The support foot assembly is designed for use with elongated load bearing devices such as a cane or crutch, and is illustrated in the drawing in use with a cane 16. It may also be used with stilts, or as feet for ladders. The support foot assembly includes a mounting structure 12 having a generally planar bottom surface 12.1 and an upper surface 12.2. A large, deep, generally cylindrical cavity 12.3 is located on the top surface, the bottom 12.4 of the cavity 12.3 being generally parallel to the bottom surface 12.1 of the mounting structure 12. A relatively small aperture 12.5 extends from the center of the bottom 12.4 of the cylindrical cavity for reasons which will be explained later.

#Securing means, indicated generally at 14, are provided for securing an elongated load bearing device, such as the cane 16, to the mounting structure 12. The securing means includes a rubber-like cane or crutch tip 18, or its equivalent, which tip is disposed within the cavity 12.3 with its bottom resting upon the bottom surface 12.4 of the cavity. The tip 18 as illustrated is similar to conventional prior art cane tips and is generally circular in cross section and has a cylindrical recess 18.1 which may receive the end 16.1 of the cane 16. As is conventional, a metal washer 20 is retained at the bottom of the cylindrical recess 18.1 to prevent undue wear between the end 16.1 of the cane and the bottom of the recess 18.1. The bottom 18.2 of the cane or crutch tip is slightly domed shaped as can best be seen in FIG. 3. However, its peripheral edge lies in a plane normal to the axis 18.3 of the cylindrical recess.

#Retaining means in the form of a rubber-like cord is provided to retain the rubber-like cane or crutch tip 18 on the support surface 12.4 of the mounting structure 12. In the embodiment illustrated, the rubber-like cord is formed integrally with the tip 18. However, it should be obvious that the cord could be formed separately with its upper end portion passing through a suitable aperture in the tip 18, there being a head on the cord which could bear against the washer 20. In any event, the rubber-like cord has an enlarged portion 22.1 of a generally conical shape, there being an annular surface 22.2 normal to the cord which can bear against the bottom surface 12.1 of the mounting structure. The rubber-like cord is initially longer than that illustrated in the drawings, and during assembly, its tail 22.3 is pulled through the aperture 12.5, the conical portion 12.1 also being pulled through the aperture, so that the annular surface 22.2 can bear against the bottom surface 12.1. After this assembly has been completed a portion of the tail 22.3 which extends too far below the mounting structure will be cut off in any conventional manner.