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US 5,331,989 AGranted
Walking aid
OwnerThomas P. Stephensinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A walking aid which has an elongated shaft which is curved along its longitudinal axis in the plane of forward direction and a handgrip disposed along its longitudinal axis in a rearward direction and contoured to support the hand with separated thumb-engaging and fingers-engaging portions and a heel-engaging portion. Another embodiment may have an elongated cuff disposed at the rearward end of the handgrip. This cuff has a lower forearm support portion and an upper forearm engaging portion which provides alignment to the forearm and wrist of the user and an opening for rearward removal of the forearm. A foot member having a bottom portion of resilient material for frictionally engaging a surface during use is disposed at the lower end of the shaft.
Claims24
A walking aid comprising
- an elongated shaft having an upper and a lower end, said shaft being curved along its longitudinal axis in the plane of the forward direction of said walking aid;
- a handgrip having a forward end disposed rearwardly from the upper end of said elongated shaft and being contoured to support a substantial portion of the width of the hand of the user, said handgrip having a thumb-supporting portion in the form of a stop and a fingers-engaging portion disposed at its forward end on opposite sides of its longitudinal axis, said handgrip also having at its rearward end a portion for engaging the heel of a hand, said handgrip being upwardly inclined from its forward to its rearward end;
- an elongated cuff having a lower forearm support portion joined to the rearward end of said handgrip and an upper forearm engaging portion disposed at an upper end of said elongated cuff and connected to said lower forearm support portion by a connecting portion of said cuff, said elongated cuff defining an opening for the removal of a forearm in the rearward direction of the walking aid;
- and
- a foot member disposed at the lower end of said elongated shaft, said foot member having a bottom portion formed of resilient material for frictionally engaging a surface during use of the walking aid.
2 more elements
A walking aid comprising
- an elongated shaft having an upper end and a lower end, the shaft being formed in a generally convex-shaped curve along its longitudinal axis in the plane of forward direction of said walking aid;
- a handgrip having a forward end disposed rearwardly from the upper end of said elongated shaft and being integrally joined thereto, said handgrip being disposed along its longitudinal axis in a rearward direction of said elongated shaft and being contoured to support the hand of the user, said handgrip having a projecting portion disposed at its forward end and projecting upwardly generally along the longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft, said handgrip also having a thumb-supporting portion formed as a shelf contoured to provide a stop for a thumb and a fingers-engaging portion on opposite sides of the projecting portion, said handgrip having at its rearward end a portion for engaging a substantial portion of the width of the heel of a hand, the heel-engaging portion being upwardly inclined from the thumb-supporting portion over the length of the handgrip;
- and
- a foot member disposed at the lower end of said elongated shaft, said foot member having a bottom portion formed of resilient material and comprising a plurality of narrow concentric grooves depending downwardly for frictionally engaging a surface during use of the walking aid, said bottom portion being curved from its forward to its rearward end, whereby the foot member may roll evenly through the entire range of its movement.
1 more element
A walking aid comprising
- an elongated shaft having an upper and a lower end, said shaft being curved along its longitudinal axis in a generally continuous curve in the plane of the forward direction of said walking aid;
- a handgrip having a forward end disposed rearwardly from the upper end of said elongated shaft and being contoured to support a substantial portion of the width of the hand of the user, said handgrip having a projecting portion disposed on its forward end and a thumb-supporting portion in the form of a stop and a fingers-engaging portion disposed on opposite sides of said projecting portion, said handgrip also having at its rearward end a portion for engaging a substantial portion of the heel of a hand, said handgrip being upwardly inclined from its forward to its rearward end;
- and
- a foot member disposed at the lower end of said elongated shaft, said foot member having a bottom portion formed of resilient material for frictionally engaging a surface during use of the walking aid.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.