Cane and Method of Use

Abstract

A cane that has: a handle; a first tube attached to the handle; a second tube in slideable communication with the first tube, the second tube in communication with a cane tip; a spring located in the first tube, and in operable communication with the second tube; the spring preloaded such that when the second tube is fully extended from the first tube, the spring exerts generally about a value F1 of force on the second tube, tending keep the second tube extended from the first tube. A method for using a retractable cane to assist in sitting down. A method of using a retractable cane to rise from a sitting position. A method of using a retractable cane to assist in picking an object up.

1 . A cane comprising:
 a handle, the handle located at the top of the cane with no other cane structures above the handle;   a first tube attached to the handle, the handle being generally perpendicular to the first tube;   a second tube in slideable communication with the first tube, the second tube in communication with a cane tip, the cane tip located at the bottom of the cane, with no other cane structures below the tip;   a spring located in the first tube, and in operable communication with the second tube;   a slot located generally along a portion of the length of the second tube;   a first opening located on the surface of the first tube;   a connecting member attached to the first opening and in slideable communication with the slot;
 the spring preloaded such that when the second tube is fully extended from the first tube, the spring exerts generally about a value F1 of force on the second tube, tending to keep the second tube extended from the first tube, and wherein F1 is large enough so that the second will not generally retract into the first tube when the cane is used during walking, and that the second tube will generally only retract into the first tube if a user purposefully applies enough force to the handle to overcome F1. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cane of  claim 1 , wherein F1 ranges from about 5 pounds to about 25 pounds. 
     
     
         3 . The cane of  claim 1 , wherein F1 is about 20 pounds. 
     
     
         4 . The cane of  claim 1 , wherein when the second tube is fully extended from the first tube, the total cane length is about 35 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The cane of  claim 1 , wherein when the second tube is retracted into the first tube by about 9 inches from the fully extended position, thus making the cane about 26 inches in length in this retracted configuration, the spring exerts generally about a value F2 of force on the second tube, tending keep the second tube extended from the first tube. 
     
     
         6 . The cane of  claim 5 , where F2 ranges from about 30 to about 50 pounds. 
     
     
         7 . The cane of  claim 5 , wherein F2 is about is about 41 pounds. 
     
     
         8 . The cane of  claim 1 , wherein when the spring is not in a compressed state, the spring has a length of about 25 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The cane of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second opening located on the surface of the first tube;   wherein the connecting member is removeably attachable to either the first opening or the second opening, and when the connecting member is attached to the second opening the fully extended length of the cane is greater than when the connecting member is attached to the first opening.   
     
     
         10 . The cane of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third opening located on the surface of the first tube;   wherein the connecting member is removeably attachable to either the first opening or the third opening, and when the connecting member is attached to the third opening the fully extended length of the cane is less than when the connecting member is attached to the first opening.   
     
     
         11 . The cane of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is a clevis and cotter pin. 
     
     
         12 . The cane of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lubricant located on the surface of the spring.   
     
     
         13 . The cane of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant is an oil based enamel. 
     
     
         14 . The cane of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lubricant located on the inner surface of the first tube.