Walking cane retainer

Abstract

A walking cane retainer includes a resilient clasping member, a rubber gripping pad attached to an inside surface of the clasping member and a strap. The clasping member is generally C-shaped in cross section with yieldable clasping arms partially enclosing an open receiving pocket. The clasping arms are dimensioned for an interference fit with the body of the walking cane. The walking cane snaps into the receiving pocket of the clasping member as the clasping arms yield and deflect, and is held in place by compressive engagement against the gripping pad during use. The walking cane is released for immediate service simply by pushing downwardly or outwardly on the handle of the cane, so that the body of the cane snaps out of the receiving pocket as the clasping arms yield and deflect. The retainer may also be used to hold a flashlight, a billy club, a night stick, a weapon handle, a hammer, a tool handle, or a tool, for example.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An article retainer comprising: 
 a clasping member having a receiving pocket, an inside surface partially enclosing the receiving pocket and first and second clasping portions spaced apart from each other and defining an opening for permitting ingress and egress of an article into and out of the receiving pocket; and    a gripping pad attached to the inside surface of the clasping member.    
     
     
         2 . The retainer of  claim 1 , wherein the clasping member comprises a resilient material.  
     
     
         3 . The retainer of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient material is selected from a group consisting of polycarbonate, plastic, polyvinyl chloride, aluminum, spring steel, graphite composite, fiberglass composite, and carbon fiber composite.  
     
     
         4 . The retainer of  claim 1 , including a support strap coupled to the clasping member.  
     
     
         5 . The retainer of  claim 4 , wherein the support strap is releasably coupled to the clasping member.  
     
     
         6 . The retainer of  claim 4 , including a snap fastener, and the support strap is releasably coupled to the clasping member by the snap fastener.  
     
     
         7 . The retainer of  claim 4 , wherein the support strap is permanently coupled to the clasping member.  
     
     
         8 . The retainer of  claim 4 , wherein the support strap comprises a material selected from a group consisting of leather, faux leather, plastic, cotton, hemp, wool, nylon, and polyester.  
     
     
         9 . The retainer of  claim 4 , wherein the support strap comprises an elongated member having a first end, a second end, and a central portion between the first and second ends, wherein the strap is coupled to the clasping member at the first end, wherein a first half of a snap fastener is located at the central portion, and wherein a second half of the snap fastener is located at the second end, such that when the first and second halves of the snap fastener are joined, the strap having a loop shape.  
     
     
         10 . The retainer of  claim 4 , further comprising a resilient gripping block attached to the support strap at a location inside the loop shape formed when the snap fastener is closed.  
     
     
         11 . The retainer of  claim 10 , wherein the resilient gripping block comprises foam rubber.  
     
     
         12 . The retainer of  claim 10 , wherein the resilient gripping block has a ribbed surface.  
     
     
         13 . The retainer of  claim 4 , wherein the support strap comprises an elongated member having a first end and a second end, wherein the support strap is coupled to the clasping member at the first and second ends such that the strap forms a loop shape.  
     
     
         14 . The retainer of  claim 13 , wherein the support strap is adapted to be a shoulder strap and the elongated member comprises a cord.  
     
     
         15 . The retainer of  claim 13 , wherein the effective length of the loop shape formed by the elongated member is adjustable with a buckle device, the buckle device being coupled to the cord.  
     
     
         16 . The retainer of  claim 13 , wherein the support strap is adapted to be a shoulder strap and the elongated member has a generally flat cross-section shape.  
     
     
         17 . The retainer of  claim 12 , wherein the support strap is adapted to be a belt loop and the elongated member has a generally flat cross-section shape.  
     
     
         18 . The retainer of  claim 4 , wherein the support strap comprises: 
 a belt loop member, the belt loop member being an elongated member having a first end, a second end, and a central portion between the first and second ends, wherein the belt loop member is coupled to the clasping member at the first end, wherein a first half of a snap fastener is located at the central portion, and wherein a second half of the snap fastener is located at the second end, such that when the first and second halves of the snap fastener are joined, the belt loop member having a loop shape;    a shoulder strap member including a cord and a loop-pile fastener material tag, wherein the tag is fastened about a portion of the cord such that fastening loops of the tag are exposed;    a resilient gripping block attached to the belt loop member at a location inside the loop shape formed when the snap fastener is closed; and    a hook-pile fastener material pad attached to the belt loop member at another location inside the loop shape formed when the snap fastener is closed.    
     
     
         19 . The retainer of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping pad has a ribbed surface.  
     
     
         20 . The retainer of  claim 19 , wherein the ribbed surface is formed by ribs that extend diagonally along the inside surface of the clasping member.  
     
     
         21 . The retainer of  claim 19 , wherein the ribbed surface is formed by ribs that extend horizontally along the inside surface of the clasping member.  
     
     
         22 . The retainer of  claim 19 , wherein the ribbed surface is formed by ribs that extend vertically along the inside surface of the clasping member.  
     
     
         23 . The retainer of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping pad comprises foam rubber.  
     
     
         24 . The retainer of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping pad comprising a strip of co-active fastener material attached to the inside surface of the clasping member, such that when a walking cane having a strip of complementary fastener material attached thereto is inserted into the clasping member, the co-active fastener material pad will releasably adhere to the complementary fastener material on the cane.  
     
     
         25 . The retainer of  claim 24 , wherein the co-active fastener material and the complementary fastener material comprise hook-pile fasteners and loop-pile fasteners.  
     
     
         26 . A walking cane retainer comprising: 
 a clasping member having a generally C-shaped cross section, wherein the clasping member comprises a resilient material;    a strap coupled to the clasping member, wherein the strap comprises an elongated member having a first end, a second end, and a central portion between the first and second ends, wherein the strap is coupled to the clasping member at the first end, wherein a first half of a snap fastener is located at the central portion, and wherein a second half of the snap fastener is located at the second end, such that when the first and second halves of the snap fastener are joined, the strap having a loop shape; and    a resilient gripping pad attached to an inside surface of the clasping member.    
     
     
         27 . A walking cane retainer comprising: 
 a clasping member formed of resilient material partially enclosing an article receiving pocket, the clasping member including a pair of resiliently deflectable clasp portions for partially encircling an article when the article is inserted into the receiving pocket;    a strap coupled to the clasping member, wherein the strap comprises an elongated member having a first end, a second end, and a central portion between the first and second ends, wherein the strap is coupled to the clasping member at the first end, wherein a first half of a snap fastener is located at the central portion, and wherein a second half of the snap fastener is located at the second end, such that when the first and second halves of the snap fastener are joined, the strap having a loop shape; and    a gripping pad attached to the clasping member and disposed between the resiliently deflectable clasp portions for engaging an article to be retained.    
     
     
         28 . A walking cane retainer comprising: 
 a semicylinder-shaped clasping member having a generally C-shaped cross section, wherein the clasping member comprises a pair of resiliently deflectable clasping arms;    a strap coupled to the clasping member, wherein the strap comprises a cord having a first end and a second end, wherein the strap is coupled to the clasping member at the first and second ends of the cord; and    a resilient gripping pad attached to an inside surface of the clasping member.    
     
     
         29 . A walking cane retainer comprising: 
 a clasping member formed of resilient material, the clasping member including a pair of resiliently deflectable clasping arms forming sidewalls of a receiving pocket;    a gripping pad attached to the sidewalls of the clasping arms for engaging the body of a walking cane in an operative retainer position; and    the clasping arms and gripping pad being dimensioned for partially encircling a walking cane and providing an interference fit with the body of the walking cane when it is inserted into the receiving pocket, whereby the walking cane snaps into the receiving pocket as the clasp portions yield and deflect upon insertion, and the walking cane is held in the operative retainer position by compressive engagement of the clasping arms and gripping pad.    
     
     
         30 . The walking cane retainer of  claim 29 , wherein the gripping pad comprises a plurality of elongated strips of gripping material disposed in circumferentially spaced relation to each other and extending longitudinally in parallel paths along the body of the walking cane in the operative retainer position.  
     
     
         31 . The walking cane retainer of  claim 29 , wherein the gripping pad has a ribbed surface formed by multiple ribs that extend in helical paths along the body of the walking cane in the operative retainer position.  
     
     
         32 . The walking cane retainer of  claim 29 , wherein the gripping pad has a ribbed surface formed by multiple ribs in the form of longitudinally spaced rings that extend around the body of the walking cane in the operative retainer position.  
     
     
         33 . The walking cane retainer of  claim 29 , wherein the gripping pad has a ribbed surface formed by multiple ribs that extend longitudinally in parallel paths along the body of the walking cane in the operative retainer position.  
     
     
         34 . The walking cane retainer of  claim 29 , comprising a belt clip support member coupled to the clasping member.  
     
     
         35 . The walking cane retainer of  claim 34 , wherein the belt clip member comprises spring steel and wherein the belt clip member includes a first clip portion opposing a second clip portion with a spacing distance there between, the belt clip member being biased to clamp onto a belt inserted between the first and second clip portions.  
     
     
         36 . The walking cane retainer of  claim 34 , wherein the belt clip support member comprises a folded loop of spring steel including closely spaced loop portions forming an open pocket for receiving and compressively engaging a belt.  
     
     
         37 . A walking cane retainer comprising: 
 a semicylinder-shaped clasping member having a generally C-shaped cross section, wherein the clasping member comprises a resilient material;    a belt loop member coupled to the clasping member, the belt loop member being an elongated member having a first end, a second end, and a central portion between the first and second ends, wherein the belt loop member is coupled to the clasping member at the first end, wherein a first half of a snap fastener is located at the central portion, and wherein a second half of the snap fastener is located at the second end, such that when the first and second halves of the snap fastener are joined, the belt loop member having a loop shape;    a shoulder strap member comprising a cord and a loop-pile fastener material tag, wherein the tag is fastened about a portion of the cord such that fastening loops of the tag are exposed;    a first resilient pad attached to the belt loop member at a location inside the loop shape formed when the snap fastener is closed;    a hook-pile fastener material pad attached to the belt loop member at another location inside the loop shape formed when the snap fastener is closed; and    a second resilient pad attached to an inside surface of the clasping member.