Four-grip cane

Abstract

The current document is directed to a four-grip walking-cane handle that provides four different gripping modes to users of walking canes that incorporate the four-grip walking-cane handle. The four-grip walking-cane handle includes a palm grip, a thumb rest, and two finger-placement channels in addition to a walking-cane-handle shaft for attachment of the four-grip walking-cane handle to a proximal end of a walking-cane shaft. A distal end of the walking-cane shaft may be coupled to any of various types of ferrules that provide traction and conformance to various types of surfaces and objects.

1 . A four-grip walking-cane handle comprising:
 a walking-cane-handle shaft;   a palm grip;   an upper finger-placement channel;   a lower finger-placement channel; and   a thumb rest with a thumb-rest surface and adjacent thumb-placement channel.   
     
     
         2 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 1  wherein the palm grip has a flared end. 
     
     
         3 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 1  wherein the four-grip walking-cane handle is composed of one or more of:
 a thermoset plastic; 
 a thermoset resin; 
 a polymeric substance; 
 a composite materials; 
 metal; 
 wood; and 
 natural fibers. 
 
     
     
         4 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 1  wherein the four-grip walking-cane handle is characterized by a number of parameters, the number of parameters including two or more of:
 a depth of the lower finger-placement channel; 
 a radius of curvature of the lower finger-placement channel; 
 a depth of the upper finger-placement channel; 
 a radius of curvature of the upper finger-placement channel; 
 a width of the thumb-rest surface; 
 a depth of the thumb-placement channel; 
 a curvature of the thumb-placement channel; 
 a radius of the palm grip; 
 a cross-section shape of the palm grip; 
 a volume of the palm grip; 
 a length of the palm grip; 
 a relative size of the flare at the end of the palm grip with respect to the size of the palm grip; 
 thicknesses of ridges that form the lower and upper finger-placement channels and the thumb-placement channel; and 
 overall dimensions of the four-grip walking-cane handle. 
 
     
     
         5 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 4  wherein the values of the number of parameters are selected to tailor the four-grip walking-cane handle to a particular user's hand. 
     
     
         6 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 1  incorporated into a walking cane having a walking-cane shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 6  wherein the walking-cane-handle shaft fits into a bore within the proximal end of the walking-cane shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 6  wherein the walking-cane-handle shaft includes a bore within which the proximal end of the walking-cane shaft fits. 
     
     
         9 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 6  further including a ferrule coupled to the distal end of the walking-cane shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 6  further including a ring-like fitting that strengthens and covers a juncture between the walking-cane handle and the walking-cane shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 6  further including a ring-like fitting that strengthens and covers a juncture between the walking-cane handle and the walking-cane shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 6  further including one or more securing devices and/or compositions to secure the four-grip walking-cane handle to the walking-cane shaft selected from among:
 a metal screw; 
 a metal plate; 
 threaded sleeves; and 
 a glue. 
 
     
     
         13 . A four-grip walking-cane handle comprising:
 an attachment feature used to attach the walking-cane-handle to a walking-cane shaft; and   a set of curved surfaces that provide four different, secure gripping positions, the four different, secure gripping positions including
 a first gripping position in which the central surface of a user's palm, the inner surfaces of the user's fingers, and the side of the user's thumb wrap around a handle-like surface; 
 a second gripping position in which the user's thumb fits within a first channel-like surface that is continuous with the handle-like surface on which the lower portion of the user's palm rests and around which the inner surfaces of the user's fingers wrap, 
 a third gripping position in which the user's thumb fits within the first channel-like surface that is continuous with the handle-like surface on which the lower portion of the user's palm rests, the user's index finger fits within a second channel-like surface, and the user's remaining three fingers wrap around the handle-like surface, and 
 a fourth gripping position in which the user's thumb and index finger wrap around and rest within an annular first channel-like surface, the user's middle finger fits within the second channel-like surface, and the user's remaining two fingers wrapping around the handle-like surface. 
   
     
     
         14 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 13   wherein a palm grip provides the handle-like surface;   wherein an upper finger-placement channel provides a first portion the first channel-like surface;   wherein a lower finger-placement channel provides the second channel-like surface; and   wherein a thumb rest with a thumb-rest surface and adjacent thumb-placement channel provides a second portion of the first channel-like surface.   
     
     
         15 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 13  wherein the four-grip walking-cane handle is composed of one or more of:
 a thermoset plastic; 
 a thermoset resin; 
 a polymeric substance; 
 a composite materials; 
 metal; 
 wood; and 
 natural fibers. 
 
     
     
         16 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 13  wherein the four-grip walking-cane handle is characterized by a number of parameters, the number of parameters including two or more of:
 a radius of curvature of the first channel-like surface; 
 an area of the first channel-like surface; 
 the length of a line along the innermost portion of the first channel-like surface; 
 a radius of curvature of the second channel-like surface; 
 an area of the second channel-like surface; 
 the length of a line along the innermost portion of the second channel-like surface; 
 a radius of curvature of the handle-like surface; 
 a cross-section shape of the handle-like surface; 
 an area of the handle-like surface; and 
 overall dimensions of the four-grip walking-cane handle. 
 
     
     
         17 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 13  incorporated into a walking cane having a walking-cane shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The four-grip walking-cane handle of  claim 17  further including a ferrule coupled to the distal end of the walking-cane shaft.