IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0780870
(2010-05-15)
|
등록번호 |
US-8302974
(2012-11-06)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
50 |
초록
▼
An adaptable mobility aid device is disclosed that has length-adjustable front and rear legs, a handle, and a knee support platform coupled to the legs and the handle, the legs being adjustable within a range of lengths suitable to straddle steps for ascending and descending stairways, as well as to
An adaptable mobility aid device is disclosed that has length-adjustable front and rear legs, a handle, and a knee support platform coupled to the legs and the handle, the legs being adjustable within a range of lengths suitable to straddle steps for ascending and descending stairways, as well as to function on the level, or on a ramp. The lengths of the legs can be adjusted in tandem via single-hand operability of an adjustment mechanism. The knee support platform provides support for an impaired lower leg of a user, not requiring the leg to contact the stairs, and also not requiring the leg to be held mid-air in a hopping motion. The handle enables one-handed use of the adaptable mobility aid device. In some embodiments, spring loaded pins or a pull bar to activate the pins, enable the single-hand operability of the adjustment mechanism.
대표청구항
▼
1. An adaptable mobility aid device, comprising: a knee support platform;a handle coupled to the knee support platform;a pair of front legs including a left front leg and a right front leg, and a pair of rear legs including a left rear leg and a right rear leg, the pair of front legs and the pair of
1. An adaptable mobility aid device, comprising: a knee support platform;a handle coupled to the knee support platform;a pair of front legs including a left front leg and a right front leg, and a pair of rear legs including a left rear leg and a right rear leg, the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs all being configured to engage a walking surface by frictional contact;a first adjustability mechanism configured to enable single-hand length adjustment of one of the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs, such that both legs of said one of the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs are length-adjustable together, using a single hand, between: a first length position for use of the device on stairs, in which the pair of front legs are configured to engage one of an upper step and a lower step while the pair of rear legs are configured to engage the other of the upper step and the lower step, and while the knee support platform is disposed substantially horizontally; anda second length position for use of the device on a level walkway, in which the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs are all configured to engage the level walkway at the same time while the knee support platform is disposed substantially horizontally. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the knee support platform has a contoured upper surface. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the knee support platform is adapted for use as a seat. 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the device further comprises a seat backrest. 5. The device of claim 1, in which the first adjustability mechanism is configured to enable single-hand length adjustment of the pair of front legs together, the device including a second adjustability mechanism configured to enable single-hand length adjustability of the pair of rear legs together. 6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second adjustability mechanism, wherein the first adjustability mechanism is configured to enable single-hand length adjustment of the pair of front legs together,and the second adjustability mechanism is configured to enable single-hand length adjustment of the pair of rear legs together. 7. The device of claim 6, wherein: the first adjustability mechanism includes an adjustable coupling configured to be single-hand operable; andeach of the left front leg and the right front leg includes a respective sleeve portion and a respective nesting portion coupled to the respective sleeve portion via the adjustable coupling. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first adjustability mechanism is configured to enable adjustment of the pair of front legs, and includes: a pair of sleeves coupled to the knee support platform, each sleeve configured to receive a corresponding leg of the pair of front legs for sliding motion;a series of apertures defined in each of the pair of front legs;a pair of pins, a pin disposed in each of the pair of sleeves, each of the pins configured to engage one aperture of the series of apertures defined in a corresponding one of the pair of front legs so as to secure the corresponding one of the pair of front legs against movement with respect to a corresponding sleeve of the pair of sleeves; anda spring-loaded bar coupled to the pair of pins, and configured so that when the bar is actuated each of the pins is disengaged from its aperture. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the pair of front legs, the pair of rear legs, and the knee support platform are configured to enable collapsibility of the device. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the knee support platform is pivotally attached to the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs, the device further comprising: a left crossbrace pivotally connected with the left front leg and pivotally attached to the left rear leg, the left crossbrace including a pivot within a central portion of the left crossbrace to enable bending of the left crossbrace;a right crossbrace pivotally connected with the right front leg and pivotally attached to the right rear leg, the right crossbrace including a pivot within a central portion of the right crossbrace to enable bending of the right crossbrace; anda rod having a left end and a right end, the rod connected to the left crossbrace at the left end to form the pivot of the left crossbrace, and connected to the right crossbrace at the right end to form the pivot of the right crossbrace,wherein a motion of the rod to cause bending of the left crossbrace and the right crossbrace enables folding of the device for storage. 11. The device of claim 10, further comprising: a left floating clamp pivotally attached to the left crossbrace and configured to encircle the left front leg to enable sliding motion of the left front leg within the left floating clamp; anda right floating clamp pivotally attached to the right crossbrace and configured to encircle the right front leg to enable sliding motion of the right front leg within the right floating clamp;wherein when a motion of the rod causes bending of the left crossbrace and the right crossbrace, the knee support platform is configured to fold, with sliding motion of the front legs within the corresponding floating clamps, so as to bring the rear legs close to the front legs for storage. 12. An adaptable mobility aid device, comprising: a pair of front legs configured to engage a walking surface by frictional contact,the pair of front legs being length-adjustable,the pair of front legs capable of adjustment to a first length for use on stairs and to a second length for use on a level walkway;a front adjustability mechanism configured to enable length adjustability of the pair of front legs together via single-hand operability;a pair of rear legs configured to engage the walking surface by frictional contact,the pair of rear legs being length-adjustable;a rear adjustability mechanism configured to enable length adjustability of the pair of rear legs via single-hand operability;a back support frame coupled to the pair of front legs;a knee support platform coupled to the pair of front legs, coupled to the pair of rear legs, and coupled to the back support frame; anda handle coupled to the back support frame. 13. The device of claim 12, wherein: the back support frame includes a pair of support uprights coupled to the front legs and coupled to the handle, each of the support uprights defining an inside slot and a series of spaced apertures;the front legs are further configured to slide into the support uprights to enable length adjustability; andthe front adjustability mechanism comprises:an adjusting bar coupled to the front legs;a pair of spring-loaded pins, normally engaged with a pair of apertures; andan actuator disposed on the adjusting bar and configured to disengage the pins from the apertures;the device further comprising:a pair of springs disposed within the support uprights and configured to provide resisting force against shortening the length of the front legs. 14. The device of claim 12, wherein: the back support frame includes a left support upright and a right support upright coupled to the front legs and coupled to the handle, each of the support uprights defining an inside slot and an aperture;the left front leg defines a left series of spaced apertures;the right front leg defines a right series of spaced apertures;the front legs are further configured to slide into the support uprights to enable length adjustability; andthe front adjustability mechanism comprises:an adjusting bar coupled to the front legs;a left spring-loaded pin and a right spring-loaded pin, the left pin engaged with the aperture on the left support upright and normally engaged with an aperture of the left series of apertures, the right pin engaged with the aperture on the right support upright and normally engaged with an aperture of the right series of apertures; andan actuator disposed between the support uprights for sliding motion and configured to disengage the left spring-loaded pin from the aperture of the left series of apertures, and to disengage the right spring-loaded pin from the aperture of the right series of apertures;the device further comprising:a pair of springs disposed within the support uprights and configured to provide resisting force against shortening the length of the front legs. 15. The device of claim 12, wherein: the knee support platform has a flat upper surface; andthe knee support platform is adapted for use as a seat. 16. The device of claim 12, wherein the handle is on an opposite side of the knee support platform as a user when the device is in use for walking or climbing. 17. The device of claim 12, further comprising: a back support surface coupled to the back support frame;wherein:the pair of front legs is length-adjustable in tandem;the pair of rear legs is length-adjustable in tandem; andthe knee support platform is adapted for use as a seat. 18. The device of claim 12, further comprising: a pair of sleeves coupled to the pair of front legs; andan adjustable coupling;wherein:each of the pair of front legs includes a nesting portion coupled to its corresponding sleeve portion via the adjustable coupling; andthe adjustable coupling is single-hand operable. 19. An adaptable mobility aid device, comprising: a knee support platform;a handle coupled to the knee support platform;a pair of rear legs coupled to the knee support platform;a pair of rear wheels coupled to the pair of rear legs,the pair of rear legs configured to engage a walking surface by rolling contact;a pair of front legs coupled to the knee support platform,the pair of front legs being length-adjustable for use of the device on stairs, for use on a ramp, and for use on a level walkway, andthe pair of front legs configured so that, when the device is used on stairs, the front legs engage an upper step and the rear legs engage an adjacent lower step so as to support the knee support platform in a position over a portion of the upper step and over a portion of the adjacent lower step, and with the knee support platform disposed approximately horizontally;a pair of front wheels coupled to the pair of front legs,the pair of front wheels configured to engage the walking surface by rolling contact;a brake coupled with the front legs, the brake configured for user operability to prevent rolling of the front wheels when the device is used on stairs, the brake comprising a park bar, the park bar being spring-loaded so that the front wheels are normally prevented from rolling;a cable coupled to the park bar, the cable configured to enable disengagement of the park bar from the front wheels to enable rolling of the front wheels; anda hand lever disposed near the handle, the hand lever coupled to the cable and configured to enable locking of the park bar via the cable to disengage the park bar from the front wheels, and further configured to enable unlocking of the park bar via the cable to engage the park bar with the front wheels. 20. An adaptable mobility aid device, comprising: a knee support platform;a handle coupled to the knee support platform;a pair of rear legs, including a left rear leg and a right rear leg, configured to engage a walking surface by frictional contact and pivotally attached to the knee support platform;a pair of front legs, including a left front leg and a right front leg, configured to engage a walking surface by frictional contact and pivotally attached to the knee support platform, the a pair of front legs being length-adjustable between: a first length position for use of the device on stairs, the at least one front leg at its first length position being configured to engage an upper step while the rear leg engages a lower step, thereby enabling the knee support platform to be disposed substantially horizontally; anda second length position for use of the device on a level walkway;a left crossbrace pivotally connected with the left front leg and pivotally attached to the left rear leg, the left crossbrace including a pivot within a central portion of the left crossbrace to enable bending of the left crossbrace;a right crossbrace pivotally connected with the right front leg and pivotally attached to the right rear leg, the right crossbrace including a pivot within a central portion of the right crossbrace to enable bending of the right crossbrace; anda rod having a left end and a right end, the rod connected to the left crossbrace at the left end to form the pivot of the left crossbrace, and connected to the right crossbrace at the right end to form the pivot of the right crossbrace;wherein the pair of rear legs, the pair of front legs, and the knee support platform are configured to enable collapsibility of the device, and a motion of the rod to cause bending of the left crossbrace and the right crossbrace enables folding of the device for storage.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.