US20080251109A1

US20080251109A1 - Lighting and Alerting Device for Walking Stick

Info

Publication number: US20080251109A1
Application number: US11/734,783
Authority: US
Inventors: Shih-Lin Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-04-12
Filing date: 2007-04-12
Publication date: 2008-10-16

Abstract

A lighting and alerting device for a walking stick includes a walking stick body and a control device. The control device includes a manual power generating unit and a power supply unit; electric power generated by winding the manual power generating unit is transmitted to a power storing unit for storage, and is further transmitted to a lighting unit, a light alerting unit and a sound alerting unit; the power supply unit also supplies electric power to the lighting unit, the light alerting unit and the sound alerting unit. Normally, the lighting unit, the light alerting unit and the sound alerting unit receives a power signal from the power supply unit so as to let the user to use a control switch to enable operations of the lighting unit, the light alerting unit and the sound alerting unit, to allow the walking stick to provide lighting and alerting functions during nighttime. If the power supply unit is running out of power, the user can wind the manual power generating unit to generate temporary power to enable operations of the lighting unit, the light alerting unit and the sound alerting unit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, and more particularly, to a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick which comprises lighting, flashing and sound alerting functions to provides added value for the walking stick
2. Description of the Prior Art
Accordingly, walking sticks are usually used to support disabled patients or seniors when they're walking. However, as a walking aid for disabled patient or senior, walking stick is made of wood or metal with no added functions, therefore it is disadvantageous in:
1. When a senior or disabled patient walks in the dark, he/she has to carry extra lighting equipment with him/her, in this case, it is not convenient for him/her when walking;
2. Should the senior or disabled patient accidentally fall, he/she is not able to immediately call for help since the walking stick doesn't have an alerting function.
Therefore, the above-mentioned traditional walking sticks present several shortcomings to be overcome.
In view of the above-described deficiencies of traditional walking sticks, after years of constant effort in research, the inventor of this invention has consequently developed and proposed a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention.
These features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of the accompanying Drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick which comprises a lighting function to illuminate the dark when the user is walking at night or in the dark.
The present invention is to provide a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick which comprises a lighting and sound alerting function so as to let the user to send out a lighting or sound alert to immediately call for help when the user accidentally falls.
The present invention discloses a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, comprises a walking stick body and a control device; the control device comprising a manual power generating unit, power supply unit, lighting unit, light alerting unit and a sound alerting unit; wherein the manual power generating unit comprises a handle, a power generating device and a power storing device, the handle is placed outside a lateral side of the walking stick body, while the power generating device and the power storing device are disposed within the walking stick body; electric power generated by winding the handle to drive the manual power generating unit is transmitted to a power storing unit for storage, and is further transmitted to a lighting unit, a light alerting unit and a sound alerting unit; the power supply unit can be a dry battery or a rechargeable battery, which is disposed inside the battery container at one side of the walking stick body, the power supply unit also supplies electric power to the lighting unit, the light alerting unit and the sound alerting unit; the lighting unit comprising at least a luminous body protruding out of a front side surface of the walking stick body and electrically connecting the lighting unit to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through the control switch; the light alerting unit comprising at least a plurality of alerting lights disposed in circle outside the walking stick body and electrically connecting to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through the control switch; the sound alerting unit can be a buzzer disposed inside the walking stick body and electrically connects to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through the control switch. Normally, the user uses a control switch to drive the power supply unit to supply power to the lighting unit, the light alerting unit and the sound alerting unit, so as to allow the walking stick to provide lighting and alerting functions during nighttime; if the power supply unit is running out of power, the user can wind the manual power generating unit to generate temporary power to let the power storing unit to supply power to the lighting unit, the light alerting unit and the sound alerting unit for operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal 3D view of a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate back 3D views of the lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of the lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a first operational view of the lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a second operational view of the lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a third operational view of the lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a fourth operational view of the lighting and alerting device for a walking stick in the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 for the lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, which mainly comprises:

- a walking stick body 1, the cross-sectional shape of the walking stick body 1 is slightly T-shaped, a battery container 11 is disposed at one side of the walking stick body 1, while a power socket 12 is disposed on the walking stick body 1 to couple with the battery container 11 to charge the battery inside the battery container 11, and a sound bore 13 is disposed at one side of the walking stick body 1;

a control device 2 comprising:
a manual power generating unit 21, the manual power generating unit 21 comprises a handle 211, a power generating device 212 and a power storing device 213, the handle 211 is placed outside a lateral side of the walking stick body 1 and is integrated with the walking stick body 1 when not in use, while the power generating device 212 and the power storing device 213 are disposed inside the walking stick body 1; electric power generated by winding the handle 211 to drive the power generating device 212 is transmitted to the power storing device 213 for storage, so as to let electric power be transmitted to a lighting unit 24, a light alerting unit 25 or a sound alerting unit 26 through a multistage control switch 22;
a power supply unit 23, the power supply unit 23 can be a dry battery or a rechargeable battery, the power supply unit 23 is disposed in the battery container 11 at one side of the walking stick body 1, wherein the power supply unit 23 can also supply power to the lighting unit 24, the light alerting unit 25 or the sound alerting unit 26 through the multistage control switch 22;
the lighting unit 24, the lighting unit 24 comprises at least a luminous body 241, the luminous body 241 can be a high brightness LED protruding out of a front side surface of the walking stick body 1 and electrically connecting the lighting unit 24 to the power storing unit 213 or the power supply unit 23 through the multistage control switch 22;
the light alerting unit 25, the light alerting unit 25 comprises at least a plurality of alerting lights 251, wherein the alerting lights 251 can be high brightness LED disposed in circle outside the walking stick body 1, and the alerting lights 251 electrically connects the light alerting unit 25 to the power storing unit 213 or the power supply unit 23 through the multistage control switch 23;
the sound alerting unit 26, the sound alerting unit 26 is disposed inside the walking stick body 1 and is placed with respect to the sound bore 13 on one side of the walking stick body 1, the sound alerting unit 26 can be a buzzer and electrically connects the sound alerting unit 26 to the power storing unit 213 or the power supply unit 23 through the multistage control switch 22.
Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, which illustrates a first operational view of the present invention. Normally, the user controls the multistage control switch 22 to let the lighting unit 24 couple with the power supply unit 23 electrically, so as to let the power supply unit 23 to supply power to the lighting unit 24 through the multistage control switch 22 to cause the luminous body 241 on the front side surface of the walking stick body 1 to generate light, therefore provides illumination in the dark.
Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, which illustrates a second operational view of the present invention. Normally, the user controls the multistage control switch 22 to let the light alerting unit 25 couple with the power supply unit 23 electrically, so as to let the power supply unit 23 to supply power to the light alerting unit 25 through the multistage control switch 22 to cause the alerting light 251 disposed in circle outside the walking stick body 1 to generate flashing light, therefore provides light alerting function.
Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, which illustrates a third operational view of the present invention. Normally, the user controls the multistage control switch 22 to let the sound alerting unit 26 couple with the power supply unit 23 electrically, so as to let the power supply unit 23 to supply power to the sound alerting unit 26 through the multistage control switch 22, and a On/Off switch 261 is further disposed between the sound alerting unit 26 and the multistage control switch 22 to control an On/Off state of the sound alerting unit 26. If the On/Off switch 261 is on, the power supplied by the power supply unit 23 would be transmitted to the sound alerting unit 26 to cause the sound alerting unit 26 to give off sound alert.
Moreover, please refer to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, when the lighting unit 24 or the light alerting unit 25 is in operation, it is viable to control the sound alerting unit 26 through the On/Off switch 261 and to let the sound alerting unit 26 to operate synchronously.
Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, which illustrates a fourth operational view of the present invention. When the power supply unit is running out of power, the user can lift the handle 211 in the walking stick body 1 and winds the handle 211 to drive the power generating device 212 to generate temporary power to be stored in the power storing unit 213, and then uses the multistage control switch 22 to let the lighting unit 24, the light alerting unit 25 or the sound alerting unit 26 couple with the power storing unit 213, so as to let the power storing unit 213 to provide power to drive the lighting unit 24, the light alerting unit 25 or the sound alerting unit 26 to operate.
The present invention provides a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, while compared to other traditional walking sticks, is advantageous in:
1. The present invention provides a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, which comprises a lighting function to illuminate the dark when the user is walking at night or in the dark.
2. The present invention provides a lighting and alerting device for a walking stick which comprises a lighting and sound alerting function so as to let the user to send out a lighting or sound alert to immediately call for help when the user accidentally falls.
Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, comprising:

a walking stick body having a battery container disposed at one side thereof, and

a control device comprising:

a manual power generating unit which comprises a handle, a power generating device and a power storing device, the handle being placed outside a lateral side of the walking stick body, while the power generating device and the power storing device being disposed inside the walking stick body, and electric power generated by winding the handle to drive the manual power generating unit being transmitted to the power storing device for storage;

a power supply unit disposed in the battery container at one side of the walking stick body;

a lighting unit comprising at least a luminous body, the luminous body protruding out of a front side surface of the walking stick body and electrically connecting the lighting unit to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through a multistage control switch;

a light alerting unit comprising at least a plurality of alerting lights, wherein the plurality of alerting lights are disposed in circle outside the walking stick body, and electrically connecting the light alerting unit to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through the multistage control switch; and

a sound alerting unit being disposed inside the walking stick body and electrically connecting the sound alerting unit to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through the multistage control switch.

2. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 1, wherein the power supply unit is a dry battery or a rechargeable battery.

3. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 1, wherein the luminous body of the lighting unit is a high brightness LED.

4. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 1, wherein the alerting light of the light alerting unit is a high brightness LED.

5. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 1, wherein the sound alerting unit is a buzzer

6. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 1, wherein an On/Off switch is disposed between the sound alerting unit and the multistage control switch to control an On/Off state of the sound alerting unit.

7. A lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, comprising:

a control device comprising:

a power supply unit disposed in the battery container at one side of the walking stick body; and

a lighting unit comprising at least a luminous body, the luminous body protruding out of a front side surface of the walking stick body and electrically connecting the lighting unit to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through a multistage control switch.

8. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 7, wherein the power supply unit is a dry battery or a rechargeable battery.

9. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 7, wherein the luminous body of the lighting unit is a high brightness LED.

10. A lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, comprising:

a control device comprising:

a light alerting unit comprising at least a plurality of alerting lights, wherein the plurality of alerting lights are disposed in circle outside the walking stick body, and electrically connecting the light alerting unit to the power storing unit or the power supply unit through the multistage control switch.

11. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 10, wherein the power supply unit is a dry battery or a rechargeable battery.

12. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 10, wherein the alerting light of the lighting unit is a high brightness LED.

13. A lighting and alerting device for a walking stick, comprising:

a control device comprising:

14. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 13, wherein the power supply unit is a dry battery or a rechargeable battery.

15. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 13, wherein the sound alerting unit is a buzzer.

16. The lighting and alerting device for a walking stick as recited in claim 13, wherein an On/Off switch is disposed between the sound alerting unit and the multistage control switch to control an On/Off state of the sound alerting unit.