초록 ▼

The present invention is a mobility device, (also referred to as a “rollator”), which provides a weight bearing architecture and enables the user to maintain an erect body posture and body weight support through the upper arms while enabling the legs to freely move under the user's center of body we

The present invention is a mobility device, (also referred to as a “rollator”), which provides a weight bearing architecture and enables the user to maintain an erect body posture and body weight support through the upper arms while enabling the legs to freely move under the user's center of body weight. Upper arm support is enabled through padded forearm rests, or “arm saddles”, which provide an elevated cushion rearward to support and position the user's elbows and transfer the center of the body weight vertically downward and through the rollator frame and thereby falling within its base of support as defined by its four support wheels. The invention's base of support is smaller than conventional rollators, thereby enabling responsive rotational movement by transferring the user's spinal rotation through the aforementioned arm saddles to the rollator frame resulting in a low-radius turn.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A mobility device designed to maintain stable and erect body posture of a user and provide low-radius rotational mobility while a user is engaged in motion, said device comprising: a) a frame comprising two upright supports;b) one or more members connecting said two upright supports;c) two rear w

1. A mobility device designed to maintain stable and erect body posture of a user and provide low-radius rotational mobility while a user is engaged in motion, said device comprising: a) a frame comprising two upright supports;b) one or more members connecting said two upright supports;c) two rear wheel struts whose lengths are adjustable;d) one or more front wheels and two rear wheels; ande) two arm saddle structures functionally attached to the two upright supports, wherein said saddle structures are designed to place the forearm of said user in a position parallel to the ground such that the user's center of gravity falls within an area of a base of support of said device that is defined by the contact points of said wheels with the floor, and wherein said saddle structures further comprises: i) a platform frame made of two parallel frame pieces of 90° angled metal strips, which are pre-drilled at intervals both on the tops and the sides, such that the top holes on said frame pieces align with threaded inserts on the underside receiving plate of said forearm seat and allow for threaded bolts to secure said forearm seat in one or more positions to accommodate differing forearm lengths of users;ii) saddle plane positioning disk with top holes that align with said side holes on said frame pieces; andiii) said saddle posts with top holes that align with pre-drilled holes of angled grip handle stem and with top holes of said saddle plane positioning disk and said side holes on said frame pieces, such that securing bolts that pass through aligned holes can secure said saddle post, said saddle plane positioning disk, and said grip handle stem between the upright sides of each pair of said platform frame strips for each saddle structure; thereby maintaining stable and erect body posture and providing low-radius rotational mobility while said user is engaged in motion. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said saddle structures transmit any rotational motion of said user through said saddle structure to said entire device. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said user's center of gravity falls within the rear 70% of said area of said base of support of said device. 4. The device of claim 3, wherein said user's center of gravity falls within the rear 50% of the area of said base of support of said device. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said low-radius is 10 to 15 inches. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein said low-radius is 12 inches. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more members connecting said upright supports are horizontal members that are parallel to each other. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more members connecting said upright supports are at an angle relative to each other and intersect. 9. The device of claim 1 wherein said arm saddle structure further comprises a forearm seat, a saddle plane positioning disk, a grip handle, a grip handle stem, and a saddle post. 10. The device of claim 9 wherein position of said forearm seat is adjustable to shift said user's center of gravity relative to said base of support. 11. The device of claim 9, wherein said forearm seat, saddle plane positioning disk, grip handle, grip handle stem, and saddle post are made from one or more materials selected from the group consisting of tubular steel, aluminum, and injection molded plastic. 12. The device of claim 1, wherein said length of said rear wheel struts are adjusted based on stature of said user to change the base of support of said device. 13. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more front wheels are mounted on a swivel structure. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein said rear wheels do not swivel. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein said wheels are made of a material selected from the group consisting of hard rubber, pneumatic tires, and cushion supported wheel treads. 16. The device of claim 1, wherein said device comprises two front wheels. 17. The device of claim 16, wherein said upright supports are angulated 10° to 25° relative to the ground and said rear wheel struts extend rearward from said upright supports at a length of 15 to 20 inches to enable the ground points of contact of said front and rear wheels on the same side, when attached to said device, to be 10 to 20 inches apart. 18. The device of claim 17, wherein width between the two front wheels is 15 to 25 inches and width between said rear wheels is 20 to 30 inches, such that two imaginary diagonal lines extending from the ground points of contact of the right front wheel and left rear wheel, and left front wheel and right rear wheel intersect at a point that is a center of stability of said device, and help provide body support to maintain erect body posture. 19. The device of claim 1, wherein any one or more of said frame, said upright supports, said members connecting upright supports, said rear wheel struts, and said saddle structures are made from one or more materials selected from the group consisting of tubular steel, aluminum, and injection molded plastic. 20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a U-shaped bracket attached to each of said upright support, which have two free ends with holes to receive a bolt to enable articulation with said rear wheel struts. 21. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more of said members connecting upright support is fitted with an attached threaded nut on each end of its underside to receive a threaded bolt attached to a swivel structure on which said front wheels are mounted. 22. The device of claim 1, wherein said saddle structure further comprises a saddle post comprising a telescoping component for adjusting the height of said saddle structure, wherein said saddle posts have an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the upper end of said upright supports such that said saddle posts can slide freely within said upright supports for adjustment of the height of the saddle post. 23. The device of claim 22, wherein said upright supports further comprise slits and are fit with one or more compression clamps for affixing said saddle posts at a specific position along the length of said upright supports, when said compression clamps are tightened. 24. The device of claim 22, further comprising holes in said upright supports and said saddle posts, wherein a pin inserted through holes of said upright supports and said saddle posts is used for affixing said saddle post at a specific position along the length of said upright supports. 25. The device of claim 1, wherein said rear wheel struts are made of round metal tubing, square metal tubing, or structural plastic, with mounting holes on each end of said struts, such that a received bolt on a proximal end of said strut and a received bolt on a distal end of said strut remain in the same planar alignment. 26. The device of claim 1, wherein said struts supporting said rear wheels can fold to a position parallel to said upright supports. 27. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of said struts is mounted with a braking mechanism operably connected to a brake lever which activates a cable whose tension is adjusted through a cable stop bracket welded to said strut. 28. The device of claim 1, wherein said holes on said saddle positioning disk and said holes on said saddle post enable affixing saddle structure position wherein said position can be secured in place by a threaded knob which passes through one of said saddle positioning disk holes and through said saddle post hole with a threaded receiving bolt aligned with said hole and welded to said saddle post. 29. The device of claim 28, wherein said saddle structure position is affixed with a metal spring button embedded in said hole of said saddle post, such that the metal spring button projects and clicks into one the selected saddle positioning disk holes. 30. The device of claim 28, wherein said saddle structure position can be an angular position or a straight position. 31. The device of claim 1, wherein said mobility device is a device selected from the group consisting of an assistive walking device, a child stroller, and a shopping cart. 32. The device of claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a seat attached to said upright supports. 33. The device of claim 1, wherein said curved horizontal structural upper member forms a structure for resting back of said user when said user is seated. 34. A saddle structure for attachment to a mobility device with three or more wheels and provide body weight support through the upper arms of a user, said saddle structure comprising: a. A forearm seat designed to place the forearm of said user in a position parallel to the ground;b. saddle plane positioning disk;c. a grip handle;d. a grip handle stem; ande. a saddle post;wherein said saddle structure further comprises: i) a platform frame made of two parallel frame pieces of 90° angled metal strips, which are pre-drilled at intervals both on the tops and the sides, such that the top holes on said frame pieces align with threaded inserts on the underside receiving plate of said forearm seat and allow for threaded bolts to secure said forearm seat in one or more positions to accommodate differing forearm lengths of users;ii) saddle plane positioning disk with top holes that align with said side holes on said frame pieces; andiii) said saddle posts with top holes that align with pre-drilled holes of angled grip handle stem and with top holes of said saddle plane positioning disk and said side holes on said frame pieces, such that securing bolts that pass through aligned holes can secure said saddle post, said saddle plane positioning disk, and said grip handle stem between the upright sides of each pair of said platform frame strips for each saddle structure. 35. The saddle structure of claim 34, wherein said holes on said saddle positioning disk and said holes on said saddle post enable affixing saddle structure position wherein said position can be secured in place by a threaded knob which passes through one of said saddle positioning disk holes and through said saddle post hole with a threaded receiving bolt aligned with said hole and welded to said saddle post. 36. The saddle structure of claim 35, wherein said saddle structure position is affixed with a metal spring button embedded in said hole of said saddle post, such that the metal spring button projects and clicks into one the selected saddle positioning disk holes. 37. The saddle structure of claim 35, wherein said saddle structure position can be an angular position or a straight position. 38. The saddle structure of claim 34, wherein said mobility device is selected from the group consisting of an assistive walking device, a child stroller, and a shopping cart. 39. The saddle structure of claim 34, wherein said forearm seat, saddle plane positioning disk, grip handle, grip handle stem, and saddle post are made from one or more materials selected from the group consisting of tubular steel, aluminum, and injection molded plastic.