DESCRIPTION

CANE WITH AUXILIARY FOOT

Technical Field

The present invention relates, in general, to trekking poles and, more particularly, to a trekking pole having an auxiliary foot.

Background Art

Generally, trekking poles are widely used to assist the old, the weak, disabled persons, and patients in walking. In particular, trekking poles have recently become popular for use as accessories for climbing mountains.

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a conventional straight trekking pole. Figs. 2a and 2b are schematic views illustrating problems with the conventional straight trekking pole.

Referring to Fig. 1, the conventional trekking pole 1 includes a handgrip 10, which allows a user to hold it using his/her hand, a pole part 20, which is provided under the lower end of the handgrip 10, and a pole tip 21, which extends downwards from the lower end of the pole part 20 to contact the ground. When the user places the trekking pole 1 on the ground, force applied from the user to the trekking pole is concentrated on the pole tip 21.

As shown in Fig. 2, at the moment that the user moves forwards, the trekking pole 1 is oriented with respect to the ground at a predetermined angle, and the pole tip 21 maintains the state of being in contact with the ground (g) . Here, when the body of the user does not move, force is transmitted from the hand of user to the trekking pole 1 in a direction perpendicular to the ground. At the moment the body of the user moves forwards, the force from the hand of user is applied to the trekking pole 1 in the direction a' , that is, at a predetermined angle with respect to the ground. When the force is applied in a direction perpendicular to the ground, the ground supports the trekking pole using reaction force. However, when the force is applied in the direction a', because additional force is required for to the user to support the trekking pole, an unstable state is created. This may cause some problems for the user.

Particularly, as shown in Fig. 3, when the user climbs a slope using the trekking pole, that is, when the ground is not horizontal but the front side (c) is higher than the rear side (d) , the angle between the ground and the direction a' , in which the force of the hand of the user is applied to the trekking pole, is further reduced. Thus, the user enters an even more unstable state. The reason is that the use of the trekking pole when climbing a slope is characteristically different from the use of a

typical cane to assist the old and the weak in walking. In detail, when climbing a slope, the trekking pole serves to help the user maintain balance and, in addition, the user brings the trekking pole into contact with the ground and pushes the trekking pole to move his/her body forwards. This is similar to the user holding a tree and moving his/her body when climbing a mountain. In this case, force is distributed to the legs and the arms of the user, so that fatigue of the legs of the user is reduced. Here, when the force of the user is consecutively applied to the trekking pole from the direction a to the direction a' , the angle between the tip of the trekking pole and the ground is gradually reduced, so that the force for supporting the trekking pole becomes weak. Thus, it becomes difficult to efficiently support the trekking pole.

Disclosure

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a trekking pole having an auxiliary foot which makes it possible for a user to stably move his/her body without requiring excessive force.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a trekking pole, including: a handgrip to be held in a hand of a user; a pole part, having a rod shape, coupled to a lower end of the handgrip; and a leg part extending from a lower end of the pole part and having a pole tip that is brought into contact with the ground, the trekking pole or ski pole further including an auxiliary foot provided on an upper end of the leg part. Preferably, the auxiliary foot may be angled with respect to the leg part at a predetermined angle.

Furthermore, a mounting member, which has a hinge to rotatably support the auxiliary foot, and a receiving member or a support rod, which maintains the unfolded state of the auxiliary foot, may be provided on the leg part of the trekking pole.

Advantageous Effects

In the present invention, when the old and the weak walk or an ordinary person skis or climbs a mountain, the present invention makes it possible for the user to efficiently and stably use a trekking pole despite using a relatively small force.

Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a conventional

straight trekking pole;

Figs. 2 and 3 are schematic views illustrating problems with the conventional straight trekking pole;

Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a trekking pole, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the use of the trekking pole according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 6 and 7 are views illustrating a locking means and a rotating means of an auxiliary foot of a trekking pole, according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a locked state and rotation of an auxiliary foot of a trekking pole, according to a third embodiment of the present invention. description of the elements in the drawings>

1, 100: trekking pole

10: handgrip

20: pole part 22: leg part

30: auxiliary foot

40, 60: mounting member

51, 53, 61, 75: hinge

52, 70, 73: receiving space defining part, locking notch, seating notch

32, 50: coupling member, receiving member

54: locking member 55 : stop protrusion 56 : jaw part 60: latch 110: catch

Best Mode

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, such that those skilled in the art can easily implement the invention.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a trekking pole, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 4, the trekking pole 100 includes a handgrip 10 to allow a user to hold it in his/her hand, a pole part 20, which has a rod shape and is coupled to the lower end of the handgrip 10, and a leg part 22, which extends from the lower end of the pole part 20 and has a pole tip 21 that is brought into contact with the ground. The trekking pole 100 further includes an auxiliary foot 30, which extends from the upper end of the leg part 22. The auxiliary foot 30 is coupled to the leg part 22 by a mounting member 40 fastened to the leg part 22. The auxiliary foot 30 is rotatably coupled to the mounting member 40 by a hinge 51. Furthermore, a receiving space defining part 52 is provided in the mounting member 40 to

ensure a space required for rotation of the auxiliary foot 30. In addition, a coupling member 32, to which the auxiliary foot 30 is coupled, is provided in the mounting member 40. Two magnetic members (designated by shaded portions in the drawing) are respectively provided on the lower end of the leg part 22 and the lower end of the auxiliary foot 30 at corresponding positions, at which the magnetic members are positioned at the same height when the trekking pole 100 is placed upright, so that, when the user carries the trekking pole 100, the auxiliary foot 30 can maintain the stationary position without moving.

Mode for Invention

Fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the use of the trekking pole according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 5, at the moment the user moves forwards, the trekking pole 100 is oriented with respect to the ground at a predetermined angle, and the pole tip maintains the state of being in contact with the ground. At this time, force transmitted from the hand of the user to the trekking pole 100 is distributed between the leg part (in the direction designated by the reference character a) and the auxiliary foot (in the direction designated by the reference character b) . That is, although the trekking pole 100 is oriented at a predetermined angle

with respect to the ground, because the auxiliary foot is angled to the leg part and is thus brought into contact with the ground at an approximately right angle, the user can easily keep his/her balance, and therefore can efficiently and easily move his/her body forwards. Here, it is preferable that the auxiliary foot be angled with respect to the leg part at an angle of 15° to 60° such that the auxiliary foot is oriented at an approximately right angle with respect to the ground when the user moves. Figs. 6 and 7 are views illustrating a locking means and a rotating means of an auxiliary foot of a trekking pole, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 6, a locking member 54 is provided at a predetermined position on the leg part 22 so as to be movable along the leg part 22. A receiving member 50, in which the leg part 22 is placed, is provided on the lower end of a mounting member 60, to which the auxiliary foot 30 is mounted. Furthermore, the mounting member 60 includes a jaw part 56 having a hinge 53, and a stop protrusion 55 to be held by the locking member 54.

When it is desired to maintain the auxiliary foot 30 at a position parallel with or at an angle with respect to the leg part 22, the locking member 54 is tightened, for example, in a thread coupling manner, thus preventing the auxiliary foot 30 from undesirably moving.

In this embodiment, to carry the trekking pole, the

auxiliary foot 30 is rotatable relative to the leg part 22 such that the auxiliary foot 30 and the leg part 22 are oriented parallel to each other.

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating the locked state and the rotation of an auxiliary foot of a trekking pole, according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the auxiliary foot 30 is coupled to a leg part 22 so as to be separable into shapes defined by longitudinally cutting part of a cylindrical pole, and, when the auxiliary foot 30 is folded onto the leg part, the diameter of the leg part, onto which the auxiliary foot 30 is folded, is equal to that of a pole part 20. Here, the shapes of the auxiliary foot and the leg part are not limited to any particular shape. In other words, the auxiliary foot and the leg part can have any shape, for example, square pole shapes, trigonal pole shapes or cylindrical pole shapes. It is preferable that the shapes of the auxiliary foot and the leg part correspond to the shape of the pole part to easily move a locking member 54 and to easily lock the auxiliary foot. The auxiliary foot 30 is coupled to the upper end of the leg part so as to be rotatable upwards and downwards using a hinge 75. A triangular seating notch 73 is formed in the lower end of the pole part 20 to ensure space required for movement of the auxiliary foot 30. Furthermore, preferably, a locking notch 70 is formed in the upper end of the auxiliary foot

30, such that, when the auxiliary foot 30 is unfolded, the upper end of the auxiliary foot 30 can be locked to the locking member 54. After the auxiliary foot 30 has been completely unfolded, a latch 60, which is coupled to the leg part 22 by a hinge 61, is latched to a catch 110, which is provided on the auxiliary foot 30. This latch structure serves to more stably maintain the state of the auxiliary foot locked to the leg part, that is, to support the auxiliary foot in a subsidiary manner. The subsidiary support structure is not limited to the structure of the third embodiment, but it may have any structure so long as the auxiliary foot can be more stably locked to the leg part in the unfolded state. For example, the subsidiary support structure may be constructed such that opposite ends of a support rod are respectively coupled to the leg part 22 and the auxiliary foot 30 by hinges and a separate hinge is provided in a medial portion of the support rod, such that the support rod can be folded and unfolded. In this case, when the support rod is unfolded, a bolt is tightened into the hinged portion to maintain the unfolded state of the support rod. When the bolt is loosened from the hinged portion, the support rod can be folded.

At this time, in the same manner as the embodiments described above, the auxiliary foot 30 can be reliably locked by vertically moving and tightening the locking member 54, which is provided on the lower end of the pole

part 20, in the thread coupling manner.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention may be applied to a ski pole. In detail, to move a foot, wearing a ski, forwards, the user brings tips of the ski poles into contact with the ground and pushes the ski poles. At this time, in the case of a ski pole having an auxiliary foot, the tip of the auxiliary foot and the tip of the ski pole, which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, sequentially stick to the ground, so that the user can transmit force to the ski pole more reliably. Therefore, the user can more easily move his/her body despite using less force than a typical straight ski pole having no auxiliary foot.

As such, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned preferred embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will easily appreciate that various modifications and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Such modifications or substitutions must be regarded as falling within the bounds of the accompanying claims.

Industrial Applicability

As described above, when the old and the weak walk or an ordinary person skis or climbs a mountain, the present

invention makes it possible for the user to efficiently and stably use a trekking pole despite using a relatively small amount of force.