CA1247513A

CA1247513A - Walker

Info

Publication number: CA1247513A
Application number: CA000500676A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Michael T. Melling
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-01-30
Filing date: 1986-01-30
Publication date: 1988-12-28

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Walkers incorporating seats are usually somewhat complicated, expensive structures. A simple, lightweight walker/
seat combination is formed of tubular metal and includes a pair of inverted U-shaped sides interconnected by a first crossbar, the sides defining front and rear legs, the first crossbar being pivotally connected to the rear legs so that the sides can be rotated around the ends of the crossbar between a closed or folded, storage position in which the sides are in overlapping relationship to each other, and an open, use position in which the sides are prarallel to each other; a wheel on the bottom of each rear leg vertically movable so that the walker does not move when in use as a seat; a second, extensible crossbar extending between the sides in front of the first crossbar; a first latch on the second crossbar for latching such crossbar in an extended condition and consequently latching the sides in the parallel, use position; a seat pivotally connected to the first crossbar for rotation between a more or less vertical, storage position and a horizontal use position; and a second latch on the seat for supporting the seat in the horizontal, use position, and for latching the seat in the storage position.

Description

f~

This invention relates to a walker, and in particular to a walker/chair combination.
In general, walkers should be as lightweight and simple as possible. Preferably, walkers should include a seat so that the user can rest when tired, and should also be collapsible to facilitate storage thereof. Examples of walkers are found in Vnited States Patents Nos. 4,165,127, issued to Robert E. Vago on l~ugust 21, 1979 and 4,461,471, issued to Carl H. Brastow on July 24, 1984. The Vago walker includes a seat.
10 However, the Vago walker is somewhat complicated. The Brastow walker is lightweight and collapsible, but does not include a seat.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the problems encountered with cur~ently available walkers by providing 15 a relatively simple, collapsible walker/chair combination, which can readily be unfolded from the collapsed, storage position to the walker position, and which includes a seat which can easily be moved from a vertical storage position to a horizontal use position.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a walker comprising first generally inverted U-shaped tubular side means;
second generally inverted U-shaped tubular side means parallel to said first side means in the open, use position; said first and second side means defining a pair of front legs parallel to a pair of rear legs, and handle means extending between said '7~i3 front and rear legs for supporting a user; first non-extensible crossbar means extending between and pivotally connected to said rear legs, whereby said side means can be rotated around the ends of said crossbar means between a closed, overlapping position and the open, parallel position; second, extensible crossbar means extending between said first and second side means in front of said first crossbar means, permitting compact folding of said first and second side means; first latch means for releasably locking said second crossbar means in an extended position for retaining said first and second side means in the parallel positions; seat means pivotally connected to said first crossbar means for rotation around the longitudinal a~is of said first crossbar means between a horizontal, use position between the parallel first and seco~d side means, and a substantially vertical storage position; and second latch means for locking said seat means alternatively in the storage position and in the use position.
The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:
Figure 1 is a front view of a walker in accordance with the present invention in the collapsed or folded, storage position;
Figure 2 is a perspective view from above and one side of the walker of Fig. 1 in the open, use position;

7~3 Figure 3 is a side view o~ the walker of Figs. 1 and

2 in the open position;
Figure 4 i5 a front view of the walker of Figs. 1 to

3 in the open position;
Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the walker of Figs. 1 to 4 from each side thereof in the open position;
Figure 7 is a partly sectioned, front view of a foot for use in the walker of Figs. 1 to 6;
Figure 8 is a partly sectioned side view of the foot of Fig. 7;
Figure 9 is a cross section taken generally along line IX-IX of Fig. 7;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the bottom of one cover of a seat for use in the walker of Fi,gs. 1 to 6; and Figure 11 is a schematic, lon~itudinal sectional view of a latch for use in the walker of Figs. 1 to 6.
Referring to the drawings, the basic elements of the walker of the present invention include a pair of identical sides generally indicated at 1, a seat generally indicated at 2, a back rest or support generally indicated at 5 and a pair of wheels 6. Each of the sides 1 is a generally inverted U-shape, and is defined by lightweight metal tubes . The arms of the sides define ~ront and rear legs 7 and 8, and tap h~ndles 9 extending between the tops of the legs 7 and 8, respectively. Foam rubber hand grips 10 are provided on the top, front ends of the sides.

.''3i-^

~ o ~3 Each side is reinforced by a tubular crossbar 11 extending between the front and rear legs 7 and 8, and a brace 13 extending rearwardly from the front leg 7 parallel to and above the crossbar 11, and then downwardly to such crossbar 11.
A foot 15 is provided on the bottom end of each front leg 7. The foot 15 is connected to a short length of tubing 16 which is longitudinally slidable in the leg 7 for adjusting the length thereo~. ~ spring loaded button 17 extends rearwardly from each length o~ tubing 16 into one of a vertical row of openingsll8 in the bottom end of the leg 7.
~ith particular re~erence to Figs. 7 to 9, a foot generally indicated at 19 is provided on each rear leg 8. The foot 19, which carries one of the wheels 6 includes a short tube 20 coaxial with a smaller diametex, slightly longer tube 22.
The leg 8 extends downwardly into the gap between the tubes 20 and 22, and is retained in position by a button 23. The button 23 extends outwardly from the inner tube 22 through one of a plurality of verticall~ aligned holes 25 in the leg 8. One arm of a generally V-shaped spring 26 extends inwardly and downwardly from the button 23, the other arm of the spring bearing against the opposite side of the tube 22. Thus, the button 23 can be depressed to permit adjustment of the length of each re~r leg 8.
The spring loaded foot 15 on the front legs 7 function in the same manner.
A bolt 28 extends through the bottom end of the tube 5;13 20, and longitudinally extending, diametrically opposed slots 29 in the inner tube 22 for slidably interconnecting such tubes.
The bolt 28 is retained in position by a nut 30. A rubber end cap 31 with opposed U-shaped grooves in the top end thereof is mounted on the bottom end of the tube 22, extending upwardly into the gap between the tubes 20 and 22. A washer 33 is provided in the bottom of the cap 31 for preventing wearing or cutting of the rubber by the bottom end of the tube 22. An annular plastic cap 35 is provided on the top end of the tube 20 around the leg 8.
The bolt 28 also extends through the bottom end of a solid metal, cylindrical block 36 in the bottom end of the tube 22. A helical spring 38 is sandwiched between the block 36 and a fixed disc 39 in the tube 22. Thus, movement between the tubes 20 and 22 is resisted by the spring 38, which functions as a shock absorber for the wheel 6 and normally keeps the bottom of the wheel beneath the bottom of the cap 31 when the device is being used as a walker. A stub axle 40 extends outwardly from one side of the tube 20 for rotatably supporting the wheel 6.
The outer end 41 of the axle 40 is threaded for receiving a nut 42~
The sides 1 of the walker are interconnected by a crossbar 45, which extends between short sleeves 46 on the rear legs 8. An annular plastic base 48 is provided on the bottom end of each sleeve 46 for resting on the side crossbar 11.

~2~ 3 The sleeves 46 are slightly larger in diameter than the rear legs 8, so that the rear legs can be rotated in the sleeves 46 around the longitudinal axes thereof. A second, telescopic crossbar 49 extends between small, hollow posts 51 on the rear ends of the side crossbars 11 in front of and beneath the crossbar 45. The crossbar 49 is defined by two lengths of tubing, one of which is slidable in the other. The outer ends of the tubing are pivotally connected to the posts 51 by screws (not shown) for rotation around the vertical axis. The crossbar is maintained in an extended position by a latch defined by a pin 52 mounted in a short sleeve 53 on one of the lengths of tubing.
The pin 52 is spring loaded for release by pressing on the pin.
The seat 2 includes a flat, rectangular, metal bottom panel 55 reinforced on the sides and rear end by square cross section metal tubes 56 and 57, respectively. A rectangular plate 59 i9 connected to the centre oE the rear edge of the panel 55, and is pivotally connected to the centre of the crossbar 45 by a strip o~ material coextensive at one end with the inner surace of the plate S9 and extending beyond the free edge of the plate around the crossbar 45 to the top of the panel 55.
A rectangular, foam-filled cushion 60 is attached to the top surface of the panel 55, extending upwardly beyond the tubes 56 and 57.
A hinge 62 connects the rear ends of each side tube 56 to the bottom ends of the sides of the back support 5. The ~75~3 hinges 62 are designed to retain the back support in the upright position, i.e. perpendicular to the seat 2 when the latter is in the horizontal, use position (Figs. 5 and 6). The back support is defined by an inverted U-shaped frame 63, the ends of which are connected to the hinges 62, and a cover 65 defined by front and rear panels connected together at their sides and top end, with an open bottom end. The back support 5 is normally retained in the nearly vertical position by tabs 66 which are permanently ccnnected at one end by stitching to the sides of the back support 5 and releasably connected to the rear legs 8 of the sides 1 by dome fasteners 67.
The seat 2 is rotatable between the nearly vertical storage position (Figs. 1 to 3 and 4) and the horizontal use position (Flgs. 5 and 6). The seat 2 is supported in the hori-zontal position by a pair o~ tubular arms 68 of square crosssection extending outwardly from the front side edyes of the bottom of the seat panel 55. The inner ends of the arms 68 are pivotally connected to a square cross section tube 69 by hinges 70 ~Fig. 10). The tube 6~ is retained in a square, generally U-shaped channel 71. A helical spring 72 extend~ between the inner ends of the arms 68 for biasing them to a position against the seat bottom. When in a position parallel to the seat bottom, the arms 68 extend outwardly beyond the sides of the seat 2 for resting on the side brace 13 to support the seat in the horizontal, use position.

5 ~ 3 A latch is provided for lockin~ the seat in the storage (nearly vertical) position (Figs. 1 to 3). As best shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the latch includes a pair of rectangular housings 74 mounted at opposite sides of the bottom of the panel 55 adjacent to the channel 71. A plunger 75 normally extends out of one end of each housing 74 beyond the side edge of the seat.
The plunger 75 (Fig. 11) is integral with one end of a block 77 slidably mounted in the housing 74. A helical spring 78 is sandwiched between the other end ofthe block 77 and a second block 80. A cable 81 e~tends from the inner end of the block 77 longitudinally through the spring 78, through a longitudinal passage in the block 80 and through the inner end of the housing 74. The cable 81 is connected to the outer block 77 in the other housing 74 on the opposite side of the panel 55. Thus, by pulling on the centre o~ the cable 81 both blocks 77 and consequently the plungers 75 are caused to move inwardly towards each other.
The walker is normally storecl in the folded condition (Fig. 1), with the back support 5 in the nearly vertical position, and the sides in overlapping relationship to each other and to the back of the walker, i.e. to the seat 2 and back support 5.
The crossbars 45 and 49 are bowed rearwardly so that the stored walker is relatively thin. In order to unfold the walker to the use position, the sides 1 are swung outwardly until they are parallel to each other. ~s the sides swing outwarclly, one section of the telescopic crossbar 49 moves with respect to the other section to the fully extended position, whereupon the pin 52 clicks into position to lock the crossbar 49 in the extended position. The walker is ready for use as a walker.
When the walker is in use, the wheels 6 engage the ~loor or ground to facilitate movement of the walker.
When the user decides to be seated, the cable 81 is pulled at its centre to release the ~eat 2. It will be appreciated that when the seat 2 is in the elevated, non-use position, the arms 68 rest against the front of the rear legs 8 at the top thereof, and the plungers 75 rest against the top rear o such legs 8. By pulling on the centre of the cable 81, the latch is released allowing the seat 2 to fall to the use position. When the seat 2 i8 the horizontal, use position, the back 5 can rotate around the axes of the hinges 62 to a slightly rearwardly inclined position. For such purpose, the tabs 66 are resilient and of limited extension to allow the back 5 to tilt rearwardly to a comfortable position. When the user sits on the seat 2, the sprinys 38 in the rear feet 19 are compressed so that the rubber caps 31 bear against the floor, preventing movement of the walker. During movement of the walker, the springs 38 act as shock absorbers.
When the seat 2 is being returned to the storage position, the front of the seat is grasped manually and rotated upwardly around the axis of the hinges 62. When the plungers 75 of the seat bottom latches engage the rear legs 8 of the sides 2, the plungers move into the casings 74 compressin~ the springs 78. As the plungers 75 pass the legs 8, the plungers are extended by the springs 78. The arms 68 remain on the front side of the legs 8 pivoting around the hinges 70. Movements of the seat 2 beyond the latched position ~Figs. 1 to 3) is prevented by the back support 5 and the tabs 66, which limit rearward movement of the support 5 and consequently of the seat 2. When the seat 2 is returned to the elevated position and latched in position, the pin 52 is pressed to release the telescopic sections of the crossbar 49. The sides 1 can then be refolded to the storage position.
Thus, there has been described a relatively simple collapsible walker, which incorporates a normally stored seat which can readily be released to the use position and returned to the stored position.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF AN INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A walker comprising:
first generally inverted U-shaped tubular side means;
second generally inverted U-shaped tubular sides means parallel to said first side means in the open, use position;
said first and second side means defining a pair of front legs parallel to a pair of rear legs, and handle means extending between said front and rear legs for supporting a user;
first non-extensible crossbar means extending between and pivotally connected to said rear legs, whereby said side means can be rotated around the ends of said crossbar means between a closed, overlapping position and the open parallel position;
second, extensible crossbar means extending between said first and second side means in front of said first crossbar means, permitting compact folding of said first and second side means;
first latch means for releasably locking said second crossbar means in an extended position for retaining said first and second side means in the parallel position;
seat means pivotally connected to said first crossbar means for rotation around the longitudinal axis of said first crossbar means between a horizontal, use position between the parallel first and second side means, and a substantially vertical storage position; and second latch means for locking said seat means in the storage position and for supporting the seat means in the use position.

2. A walker according to claim 1, wherein said second latch means includes arm means extending outwardly from said seat means for engaging each said side means to support the seat means in the horizontal, use position; and plunger means for releasably engaging said rear legs when in the storage position.

3. A walker according to claim 2, wherein said second latch means includes first and second plungers for releasably engaging said rear legs; and cable means for simultaneously releasing said plungers from engagement with said rear legs.

4. A walker according to claim 2, including third crossbar means extending between said front and rear legs for supporting said arm means when the seat means is in the use position.

5. A walker according to claim 1, including wheel means on each said rear leg for movably supporting the walker in the use position.

6. A walker according to claim 5, including vertically movable foot means at the bottom of each said rear leg, said foot means carrying said wheel means, whereby the rear legs are supported by said wheel means when in the use position, and by the foot means when the walker is used as a seat.

7. A walker according to claim 6, including spring means normally biasing the wheel means to a use position beneath the bottom end of said foot means.

8. A walker according to claim 1, 2 or 3, including foot means on each said front and rear leg permitting adjustment of the length of the legs and consequently the height of the walker.

9. A walker according to claim 1, including first hinge means connecting said seat means to said first crossbar means between the rear legs of the walker.

10. A walker according to claim g, wherein said seat means includes a base for rotation between the storage and use position; a back rest normally in the vertical position;
and second hinge means pivotally connecting said base to said back rest for rotation of the base between the storage and use positions.

11. A walker according to claim 10, including tab means connecting the upper end of said back rest to the upper ends of said rear legs for retaining said back rest in the substantially vertical position.