CN106945770B

CN106945770B - Knee walking aid

Info

Publication number: CN106945770B
Application number: CN201710158465.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: L·M·沃尔瑟; E·S·阿伯内西; I·P·阿迪卡里; V·R·拉科斯基
Original assignee: Medline Industries LP
Current assignee: Medline Industries LP
Priority date: 2012-06-28
Filing date: 2013-06-28
Publication date: 2020-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2033-06-28
Also published as: CN103640655B; CN106945770A; CA2820031C; CA2820031A1; CN103640655A

Abstract

A knee walker assembly and a method of manufacturing a knee walker assembly are provided herein. The disclosed knee walker assembly includes a frame having a handle mounted to the frame. At least one rear wheel is mounted proximate the rear end of the frame. At least one front wheel is mounted proximate the front end of the frame. The knee walker assembly further includes a support platform configured to support a portion of the appendage. A collapsible column structure movably mounts the support platform to the frame. The collapsible strut structure includes a carriage and a first strut attached at a first end thereof to the support platform and attached at a second end thereof to the carriage. The carriage is slidably mounted to the frame such that movement of the carriage relative to the frame is operative to adjust the vertical height of the support platform.

Description

Knee walking aid

Description of the cases

The patent application of the invention is a divisional patent application.

The original application of the divisional patent application is an invention patent application with the application date of 2013, 6 and 28 months and the application number of 201310264318.6 and the invention name of 'knee walking aid'.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to walking assist devices for physically impaired persons, and more particularly to a multi-wheeled knee walker assembly for assisting a disabled person in walking.

Background

Congenital, degenerative and accidental injuries to the human body can lead to physical weakness, sometimes resulting in a person's ability to walk without assistance. Various self-propelled vehicles, scooters, walkers, and the like have been designed to assist the movement of disabled persons. The best known example of such devices is a wheelchair, which typically comprises a seat connected to four support wheels by a rigid frame. Wheelchairs come in motorized and manually driven versions, where the wheelchair is propelled by a motor in the former case or by the occupant turning the drive wheels with the hands in the latter case.

Another device used to assist the movement of disabled persons is a knee walker. Knee walkers are typically intended for users who have suffered injuries below the knee, such as achilles tendon injuries, fractures of the foot or ankle, or gout. Knee walkers are designed to lift and support a non-walking foot while enabling the user to propel with the walking foot. Most knee walkers include an elevated knee platform rigidly mounted on a support frame, both the support frame and the platform being capable of operating on casters or wheels. There are three common types of knee walkers: (1) a knee walker assembly with rigidly mounted wheels and no steering capability; (2) a knee walker assembly having rigidly mounted wheels and capable of steering; and (3) a knee walker assembly with swivel mounted wheels and no steering capability.

One known knee walker assembly includes a four-wheeled walking cart designed to support a person's legs and feet. The cart includes a frame, a leg support member coupled to the frame, and a handle coupled to the frame. The cart has two swivel mounted front wheels and two rigidly mounted rear wheels. The two rigidly mounted rear wheels can be laterally offset relative to the frame between first and second asymmetric wheel positions, thereby being adapted to persons having a non-walking left lower leg or a non-walking right lower leg, respectively.

Another known knee walker assembly includes a four-wheeled walking cart designed to support a person's legs and feet. The cart includes a frame, a leg support member coupled to the frame, and a handle movably coupled to the frame. The cart has two swivel mounted front wheels and two rigidly mounted rear wheels. The handle is movable relative to the frame between first and second asymmetric handle positions to accommodate a person having a non-walking left lower leg or a non-walking right lower leg, respectively.

In yet another known configuration, a treatment vehicle is provided. The scooter comprises a tubular frame having four rigidly mounted wheels. The wheel assembly includes a front axle and a rear axle, each axle holding a pair of laterally offset wheels. The steering assembly is telescopically coupled to the front axle. The steering assembly has a crossbar with a handle. The crossbar is provided with a braking mechanism to slow and stop the vehicle.

According to another known design, a steerable kneeling walker is provided that includes a frame, a steering assembly coupled to the frame, and a steering lever. The kneeling walker is movably supported on four rigidly mounted wheels. A control assembly is coupled to the steering rod to rotate the front wheels about separate pivot points.

Currently available knee walker assemblies suffer from a variety of drawbacks and deficiencies. For example, a knee walker design in which the wheels are 100% rigid would have limited maneuverability. If the knee walker does not have built-in steering capability, the entire knee walker assembly must be lifted and repositioned to rotate. If the knee walker has built-in steering capability, the turning radius may be too large for compact places such as airport shops, bathrooms, etc. In contrast, a knee walker configuration with 100% wheel turn may be dangerous due to limited control of the components when the foot is not in contact with the ground. The features of the present disclosure eliminate the deficiencies in these designs.

Drawings

Various benefits and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary knee walker assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a portion of the knee walker assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of another portion of the knee walker assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary locking pin mechanism that may be used with the knee walker of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view of another representative knee walker assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of the knee walker assembly of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view of an exemplary locking lever mechanism that may be used with the knee walker assembly of FIGS. 1 and 5.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary locking disk that may be used with the knee walker assembly of FIGS. 1 and 5.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary steer plate that may be used with the knee walker assembly of FIGS. 1 and 5.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Detailed Description

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail representative embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. In this regard, elements and limitations that are disclosed in the drawings, abstract, and detailed description, but not explicitly recited in the claims, should not be implied, inferred, or otherwise incorporated into the claims, individually or collectively. In this specification, unless specifically disclaimed, the singular includes the plural and vice versa; the words "and" or "both should be taken to mean either side-by-side or separated; the word "all" means "either and all"; the word "any" means "any and all"; the word "including" means "including without limitation". Also, approximating words such as "about," "nearly," "substantially," "approximately," and the like, as used herein, for example, mean the following: "equal, near or nearly equal," or "within 3-5%, or" within acceptable manufacturing tolerances, "or any logical combination thereof.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary knee walker assembly (generally designated 10) in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The drawings presented herein are not to scale and are provided for illustrative purposes only. Thus, the individual and relative dimensions and orientations shown in the figures are not to be considered limiting. In addition, the use of spatial adjectives such as "forward", "rearward", "upward", "downward", etc., in the specification and claims, unless expressly stated otherwise, is intended to dictate the relative orientation of a given component with respect to a knee walker assembly when operatively mounted thereto.

The knee walker assembly 10 is intended to be used (although not limited in itself) to assist a physically impaired person in walking. In the illustrated embodiment, the knee walker assembly 10 includes: a rigid frame, generally indicated at 12, a support platform 14 mounted to the frame 12, a handle or grip 16, at least one rear wheel 18 mounted to the frame 12 near a rear end of the frame 12, and at least two front wheels (e.g., a right front wheel 20A and a left front wheel 20B, respectively) mounted to the frame 12 near a front end of the frame 12. The frame 12 is desirably made of a rigid material that may include, but is not limited to, metals such as aluminum and steel, polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), fiberglass composites, and the like. The frame 12 is shown in the drawings as comprising a tubular structure having two substantially horizontal, longitudinally oriented base beams 22, the base beams 22 being connected at the front to laterally oriented cross beams 24 and at the rear to laterally oriented wheel bearings 26. A front axle 28 extends transversely across the front of the frame 12 and is rigidly mounted to each of the base beams 22 via respective upwardly extending coupling brackets 30 (only one of which is visible in the drawings, but a second coupling bracket is also provided in the illustrated frame 12). Optional end plugs can be inserted into the open ends of the base beams 22, cross beams 24, and/or other open tube ends for aesthetic and/or safety purposes.

Understandably, the frame 12 may include fewer or more various beams than illustrated in fig. 1. In addition, the length, width and height of the frame 12 can be modified, for example, to suit a particular user and/or intended application of the knee walker assembly 10. It is similarly contemplated that one or more of the beams can be replaced with alternative structures such as a baseplate or a box. To this end, the base beam 22 and cross beam 24 are illustrated in the figures as elongated hollow tubes; alternatively, the

beams

22, 24 may be fabricated as solid rods, and may take on alternative geometries.

With continued reference to the exemplary embodiment of fig. 1, each of the

front wheels

20A, 20B is swivel-mounted (i.e., attached in a swivel-type mounting configuration) to the front axle 28. As used herein, "swivel mount" and "swivel-type mounting configuration" are intended to mean a mounting structure in which the wheel is capable of rotation about a rolling axis and rotation about a non-rolling axis. For example, each of the

front wheels

20A, 20B is connected (e.g., via a wheel pin or roller bearing) to a respective swivel fork 32 such that the

wheels

20A, 20B can rotate about their central rolling axis a 1. The swivel fork 32 is in turn connected to the front axle 28 via a swivel joint 34. The swivel joint 34 enables the swivel fork 32 to swivel about a non-rolling axis a2, axis a2 being laterally offset from the center of the front axle 28 and passing through the diametric plane of the

wheels

20A, 20B. In other words, the

front wheels

20A, 20B are able to roll about axis a1 and revolve about axis a2 when in the swivel-type mounting configuration, axis a2 being substantially perpendicular to axis a 1. When moving in a straight line, the swivel mounted

wheels

20A, 20B will tend to self-align with and rotate parallel to the direction of travel.

In contrast to the

front wheels

20A, 20B, the rear wheel 18 is shown attached to the rear of the frame 12 in a rigid type mounting configuration. As used herein, "rigidly mounted" and "rigid-type mounting configuration" when referring to a wheel are intended to mean a mounting arrangement in which the wheel is able to rotate relative to the wheel mounting portion but the wheel mounting portion is constrained from rotating freely relative to the frame. For example, the rear wheel 18 is rotatably mounted to the longitudinally oriented base beam 22, such as via a wheel bearing 26, such that the wheel 18 is able to rotate about its central rolling axis a 3. However, unlike the

front wheels

20A, 20B, the rear wheel 18 cannot swivel on the roller bearing 26 about a non-rolling axis. In some embodiments, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1, the knee walker assembly 10 has a single rear wheel 18, the single rear wheel 18 being longitudinally spaced from the

front wheels

20A, 20B and centrally aligned with the

front wheels

20A, 20B.

The support platform 14 is configured to support at least one human appendage. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the support platform 14 is designed to support and hold the user's non-walking lower leg during operation of the knee walker assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the support platform 14 of FIG. 1 includes a pad 36 secured to an upper surface of a planar base 38. The cushion 36 may comprise, for example, a molded plastic body or foam core coated with vinyl or any other suitable material.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the support platform 14 is vertically adjustable (i.e., can be raised or lowered) relative to the frame 12. In one exemplary configuration, the support platform 14 is mounted to a collapsible column structure (generally indicated at 40 in FIG. 1). The collapsible strut structure 40 includes a pair of pivot struts 42, the struts 42 being pivotally attached at respective first ends to the base 38 and pivotally attached at respective second ends to the base beams 22 of the frame 12. The collapsible strut structure 40 further includes a pair of sliding struts 44, the struts 44 being pivotally attached at respective first ends to the base 38 and pivotally attached at respective second ends to a movable carriage 46. The carriage 46 is slidably mounted to the base beam 22 for linear travel between the front and rear ends of the frame 12. The carriage 46 is configured to adjust the vertical height of the support platform 14. Specifically, sliding the carriage 46 forward (i.e., to the left in fig. 1) on the frame 12 causes the pivot struts 42 and the slide struts 44 to fold over each other in a scissor-like manner, pulling the support platform 14 downward toward the base beam 22. Conversely, sliding the carriage 46 in the opposite direction toward the rear end of the frame 12 (i.e., to the right in fig. 1) pulls the first and second ends of the pivot strut 42 along with the first and second ends of the slide strut 44, respectively, thereby raising the support platform 14. Alternative structures for raising and lowering the support platform 14 are also contemplated, such as retractable support column structures or pneumatic cylinder structures.

The knee walker assembly 10 is also provided in some embodiments with a steering mechanism (generally indicated at 50) configured to selectively reposition the

front wheels

20A, 20B so that the knee walker assembly 10 can be manipulated by a user. The steering mechanism 50 shown in fig. 1 and 2 includes a steering column 52, the steering column 52 being attached at a first end to the frame 12 and at a second end to the handlebar 16. The steering column 52 passes through a hollow sleeve 58, the hollow sleeve 58 being coupled to the front axle 28 and the base beam 22 at the front end of the frame 12. As best seen in fig. 2, a connector plate 72 attaches a T-shaped link 70 to the lower end of the steering column 52 such that the link 70 rotates with the steering column 52 via manipulation of the handle 16. Each lateral end 71, 73 (fig. 2) of the link 70 is selectively engaged with a respective one of the

front wheels

20A, 20B, as described below. When so engaged, the link 70 turns the

front wheels

20A, 20B in response to rotation of the handlebar 16 and thus in response to rotation of the steering column 52.

The steering column 52 is selectively repositionable in some embodiments between an upright position, illustrated at 52A in fig. 2, and a folded position, illustrated schematically in phantom at 52B in fig. 2. For example, the steering mechanism 50 may be provided with a locking hub 54, the locking hub 54 configured to retain the steering column 52 in a plurality of positions relative to the frame 12, including an upright position 52A, a folded position 52B, and one or more positions therebetween. In this case, the steering column 52 is divided into two sections, with the upper section 53 of the steering column 52 fixedly attached to the outer ferrule of the lock hub 54 and the lower section 55 of the steering column 52 fixedly attached to the inner ferrule of the lock hub 54. Rotation of the tension dial 56 in one direction (e.g., in a counterclockwise direction) will loosen the locking hub 54, thereby enabling the user to reorient the upper segment 53 of the steering column 52 relative to the lower segment 55 thereof. Once oriented in the desired position, rotation of the tension dial 56 in the opposite direction (e.g., in a clockwise direction) mechanically locks the upper and

lower segments

53, 55 of the steering column 52 in the selected direction.

In another embodiment, the handle 16 includes a right handle bar 62A and a left handle bar 62B attached at opposite ends of the upper transverse portion of the T-shaped handle mount 60, respectively. The handle 16 may be adjustable, for example, to accommodate users of different heights and/or for increased compactness during storage of the knee walker assembly 10. According to one exemplary configuration, the handle mount 60 of FIG. 1 is designed to telescope relative to the steering column 52. For example, a downwardly extending portion of the T-handle mount 60 is slidably received through an opening in a hollow portion of the upper section 53 of the steering column 52. A locking screw 64 is provided which can be reset to enable a user to adjust the position of the handle mount 60 relative to the steering column 52. For example, rotation of the locking screw 64 (e.g., in a counterclockwise direction) will release the handle mount 60, allowing it to translate longitudinally in and out of the steering column 52. Once oriented in the desired position, rotation of the locking screw 64 in the opposite direction (e.g., clockwise) mechanically locks the handle mount 60 in the selected orientation. Any of a variety of alternative coupling mechanisms may be readily used as an alternative to the locking screw 64 (e.g., a quick-connect locking device or a spring-biased locking pin). In addition, alternative handle structures, wheels, or other steering configurations may be used in alternative embodiments. In addition, the knee walker assembly 10 may be provided with an optional braking mechanism (not shown) that is operable to slow and/or stop the knee walker assembly 10.

The two

front wheels

20A, 20B of the knee walker assembly 10 are each configured to be selectively switched between a swing-type mounting configuration and a rigid-type mounting configuration. The knee walker assembly 10 of fig. 1-3 includes in some embodiments a variable mounting assembly (generally indicated at 74 in fig. 2) for mounting the front wheels near the front end of the frame 12. The variable mounting assembly 74 is designed to simultaneously or nearly simultaneously transition the two

front wheels

20A, 20B from a swivel-type mounting configuration to a rigid-type mounting configuration and back. In some embodiments, the knee walker assembly 10 includes a locking mechanism that selectively engages the

front wheels

20A, 20B to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously lock the two

front wheels

20A, 20B in a rigid-type mounting configuration. This provides the knee walker assembly 10 with all of the advantages of having swivel-mounted front wheels (e.g., increased maneuverability), while eliminating the disadvantages (e.g., limited control) of a knee walker assembly having only swivel-mounted front wheels.

As described above, the

front wheels

20A, 20B are pivotally mounted to the frame 12 by the pivot forks 32 and the pivot joints 34. A locking disk 76, which is most easily visible in fig. 2 and 3, is rigidly secured to the top of each swivel fork 32, for example via a compression sleeve 78 and a bushing and nut combination 79 (both of which are part of the swivel joint 34). Each locking disk 76 includes an aperture 77 (readily visible in fig. 2, but labeled only in fig. 3), the aperture 77 being shaped and dimensioned to receive a locking pin 86 (fig. 4) to thereby lock the respective

front wheel

20A, 20B in a rigid-type mounting configuration.

The knee walker assembly 10 further includes a pair of retractable locking pin assemblies 80, as illustrated in fig. 3 and 4, each mounted to a steering tab 82 at a respective

lateral end

71, 73 of the link 70. Each locking pin assembly 80 is configured to selectively engage a respective one of the

front wheels

20A, 20B, i.e., the corresponding locking disk 76, to thereby lock the

front wheels

20A, 20B in a rigid-type mounting configuration. Specifically, as seen in fig. 3 and 4, each retractable locking pin assembly 80 includes a generally hollow, cylindrical housing 84 attached (e.g., via fasteners or welding) to one of the locking tabs 82. The locking pin 86 is slidably mounted at least partially within the housing 84. A biasing member, such as a compression spring (not visible in the view provided), is disposed within the housing 84. The biasing member urges the locking pin 80 into an extended position where the distal end of the locking pin 86 extends out of the housing 84 (as seen in fig. 4) into the aperture 77 of the locking disc 76 (as seen in fig. 3). When the locking pin 86 is properly positioned within the aperture 77, the swing fork 32 is constrained to freely rotate about the non-rolling axis a 2. Thus, each

wheel

20A, 20B is able to rotate about its respective central rolling axis a1 relative to the turret fork 32, but the turret fork 32 is not able to rotate freely (i.e., "turret") relative to the front axle 28 — i.e., the wheels are in a "rigid-type mounting configuration".

The retractor cable 88 passes through a sheath 90 and is attached to the locking pin 86 at a proximal end 92 via a cable connector 94. The retractor cable 88 is configured to selectively pull the locking pin 86 out of engagement with the locking disc 76, thereby releasing the

front wheels

20A, 20B for rotation about the swivel joint 34. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, an actuation lever 98 (which is shown in fig. 1 and 2) is attached to the handle 16 (e.g., at an intermediate portion of the handle mount 60 between the right and left handle levers 62A, 62B). The actuation rod 98 is configured to selectively disengage the two retractable locking pin assemblies 80 from the locking disk 76. Specifically, pulling the actuation lever 98 rearwardly (e.g., to the right in fig. 1) applies a tensile force to the retractor cable 88, which in turn transmits the tensile force to the proximal end 92 of the pin 86 via the cable connector 94. When the tensile force acting on the pin 86 overcomes the biasing member, the pin 86 will translate longitudinally in a generally linear motion into the housing 84 and out of engagement with the locking disk 76. At this point, the swivel joint 34 is operable such that the swivel fork 32 can rotate about the non-rolling axis a 2. In this way, each

wheel

20A, 20B is able to rotate about its respective central rolling axis Al relative to the fork 32, and each fork 32 is able to rotate about its respective non-rolling axis a2 relative to the front axle 28 — i.e., each wheel is in a "swivel-type mounting configuration".

In some embodiments, the steering mechanism 50 cannot be operated when the

front wheels

20A, 20B are in a swivel-type mounting configuration, for example, because the link 70 is disengaged from the

wheels

20A, 20B. In an alternative configuration, the knee walker assembly can include a steering lock mechanism operable to lock or otherwise secure the steering mechanism 50 in place. One exemplary design includes a steering lock pin that is operatively mounted to the frame 12, such as by a U-shaped mounting bracket. The actuator cable is attached at one end thereof to the actuator rod 98 and at the other end thereof to a proximal end of the steering lock pin. When the lever 98 is actuated (e.g., pulled rearward) by a user, both retractable locking pin assemblies 80 disengage from the locking disk 76, as described above. Additionally, when the lever 98 is actuated, the distal end of the steering locking pin is engaged with the link 70 — for example, received via a complementary cavity or hole in a portion of the link 70. For example, the steering lock pin can be movably mounted to the U-shaped mounting bracket by a pivot plate. In this case, the locking pin is attached at a first lateral end of the pivot plate and the actuator cable is attached at an opposite second lateral end of the pivot plate. The pivot plate is pivotally mounted to the U-shaped bracket (e.g., via a hinge or pin) for rotation about its center. The first lateral end of the pivot plate can be urged upward by a biasing member (e.g., a compression spring) such that the steering lock pin is biased out of engagement with the link 70. However, when the lever 98 is actuated, a tensile force is applied to the actuator cable, which is transmitted to the second lateral end of the pivot plate. This tensile force will in turn cause the pivot plate to rotate about its central axis, thereby pushing the first lateral end downwardly against the biasing member, thereby feeding the steering lock pin into the aperture in the link 70. At this point, the link 70 is rigidly locked to the frame 12. The steering column 52 is thereby rigidly locked to the frame 12 via a connector plate 72, the connector plate 72 attaching the T-shaped link 70 to the lower end of the steering column 52. Thus, the steering mechanism 50 cannot be reset (or rotated) by the user.

In some embodiments, when the

front wheels

20A, 20B are released by the retractable locking pin assembly 80, they are operable to pivot less than about 360 degrees about the non-rolling axis a 2. In some embodiments, when the

front wheels

20A, 20B are released by the retractable locking pin assembly 80, they are operable to pivot less than about 160 degrees about the non-rolling axis a 2. The pivot range of the

front wheels

20A, 20B may be limited by integrating stops or other suitable structures into the knee walker assembly 10. Optionally, the

front wheels

20A, 20B are operable to freely pivot about the non-rolling axis a2 when they are released by the retractable locking pin assembly 80.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, an improved method of manufacturing a knee walker assembly is provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: mounting a support platform to the rigid frame, the support platform configured to support at least one human appendage; mounting a handle to the frame; mounting at least one rear wheel adjacent a rear end of the frame; mounting at least two front wheels near a front end of the frame such that the front wheels are transitionable between a gyroscopic mounting configuration and a rigid mounting configuration; attaching a locking mechanism to the frame, the locking mechanism configured to substantially simultaneously lock two of the at least two front wheels in a rigid-type mounting configuration.

In some embodiments, the method of manufacturing a knee walker assembly includes at least those steps identified in the preceding paragraph. It is also within the scope and spirit of the present invention to omit steps, include additional steps, and/or modify the order described above. For example, in some embodiments, the method further comprises mounting a steering mechanism to the frame, the steering mechanism configured to selectively reposition the at least two front wheels. It should also be noted that the method represents a single sequence of manufacturing the knee walker assembly. However, it is contemplated that the method is systematically implemented to manufacture a plurality of knee walker assemblies. Although the method is described herein with respect to the structures illustrated in fig. 1-4, the method claimed by the present disclosure is not limited to these exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a side view of another representative knee walker assembly, generally designated 100, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The knee walker 100 can take any of the different forms, optional configurations, and functional alternatives described above with respect to the knee walker 10 illustrated in fig. 1-4 (and vice versa), and thus can include any of the corresponding options, alternatives, and features. In this regard, the knee walker assemblies disclosed herein can include a variety of additional, alternative, and other well-known peripheral components without departing from the intended scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Since these components are well known in the art, they will not be described in further detail.

The knee walker assembly 100 shown in figures 5 and 6 includes: a rigid frame, generally indicated at 112, a support platform 114 movably mounted to the frame 112, and a handle or knob 116 operatively mounted to the frame 112. At least one rear wheel 118 is rotatably mounted to the frame 112 near a rear end of the frame 112, and at least two front wheels (e.g., a right front wheel 120A and a left front wheel 120B, respectively) are rotatably mounted to the frame 112 near a front end of the frame 112. In some embodiments, the knee walker assembly 110 has only a single rear wheel 118 longitudinally spaced from and aligned with the center of the two

front wheels

120A, 120B. The frame 112 is shown in the drawings as comprising a tubular structure having two substantially horizontal, longitudinally oriented base beams 122, the base beams 122 being connected at the front with laterally oriented front axles 128 and at the rear with laterally oriented cross beams 124 and laterally oriented wheel bearings 126. Optional polymer end plugs 130A and 130B can be inserted into the open ends of the base beam 122 and other open tube ends for aesthetic and/or safety purposes.

Similar to the configuration shown in fig. 1, the

front wheels

120A, 120B of fig. 5 and 6 are attached to the front axle 128 in a swivel-mounted configuration. For example, each of the

front wheels

120A, 120B is rotatably coupled (e.g., via a wheel pin or roller bearing) to the

respective swing fork

132A and 132B such that the

wheels

120A, 120B can rotate about a respective central rolling axis (e.g., axis a1 of fig. 1). Each

swivel fork

132A, 132B is in turn rotatably connected to the front axle 128 via a respective swivel joint 134A and 134B. The swivel joints 134A, 134B enable the

swivel forks

132A, 132B to rotate about respective vertically oriented non-rolling axes (e.g., axis a2 of fig. 1) that are laterally offset from the center of the front axle 128 and pass through the diametric plane of the

wheels

120A, 120B. Thus, the

front wheels

120A, 120B are able to rotate about a central rolling axis and swivel about a vertical non-rolling axis when in a swivel-type mounting configuration. When moving in a straight line, the swivel mounted

wheels

120A, 120B will tend to self-align with and rotate parallel to the direction of travel.

In contrast, the rear wheels 118 are shown attached to the rear of the frame 112 in a rigid type mounting configuration. For example, the rear wheels 118 are rotatably mounted to the longitudinally oriented base beams 122 via wheel bearings 126 such that the wheels 118 are able to rotate about a corresponding central rolling axis (e.g., axis a3 of fig. 1). However, unlike the

front wheels

120A, 120B, the rear wheel 118 cannot swivel on the roller bearings 126 about a non-rolling axis. Alternative configurations can include swivel mounted rear wheels or hybrid rigid swivel mounting configurations.

The support platform 114 of fig. 5 and 6 is configured to support at least one human appendage. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the support platform 114 is designed to support and hold the lower portion of the user's non-walking lower leg during operation of the knee walker assembly 100. The support platform 114 of fig. 5 includes a pad 136 secured (e.g., via screws) to the upper surface of a planar base 138. The cushion 136 may comprise, for example, a molded plastic body or foam core coated with vinyl or any other suitable material. Alternatively, the support platform 114 can be integrally formed with the base 138.

The support platform 114 can be vertically adjustable relative to the frame 112. Similar to the arrangement of fig. 1, the support platform 114 of fig. 5 and 6 is mounted on top of a collapsible stanchion structure (generally designated 140 in fig. 5). The collapsible strut structure 140 includes a pair of pivot struts 142, the struts 142 being slidably and pivotally attached at respective first ends to the base 138 (e.g., via sliding hinges 141 slidably received in the elongated slots 139). The pivot struts 142 are also pivotally attached at respective second ends to the base beams 122 of the frame 112 (e.g., via hinge mounts 143). The collapsible strut structure 140 further includes a pair of sliding struts 144, the struts 144 being pivotally attached at respective first ends to the base 138 (e.g., via pivot hinges 145) and slidably and pivotally attached at respective second ends to the frame 112 by movable carriages 146. A hinge pin 149 rotatably connects the pivot strut 142 to the slide strut 144. The carriage 146 is slidably mounted to the base beam 122 for linear travel between the front and rear ends of the frame 112. An optional M-shaped handle 147 extends outwardly and, in some embodiments, upwardly from the base 138 to provide an easily accessible gripping surface for a user to more easily lift the base 138 and, thus, the support platform 114.

With continued reference to fig. 5 and 6, movement of the carriage 146 is manipulated to adjust the vertical height of the support platform 114. Specifically, sliding the carriage 146 forward (e.g., to the left in fig. 5) on the frame 112 causes the pivot struts 142 and the slide struts 144 to fold in a scissor-like manner toward the frame 112, thereby pulling the support platform 114 downward toward the base beam 122. Conversely, sliding the carriage 146 in an opposite direction toward the rear end of the frame 112 (e.g., to the right in fig. 5) pulls the first and second ends of the pivot strut 142 toward the first and second ends of the slide strut 144, respectively, thereby raising the base 138 and thus the support platform 114.

The collapsible stanchion structure 140 of fig. 5 and 6 may include locking means for securing the support platform 114 at a desired vertical height. According to the illustrated example, the locking lever 198 is pivotally attached to at least one of the slide posts 144, or at an inner surface of both in the illustrated embodiment. The locking lever 198, best seen in fig. 7, comprises an elongate asymmetric body having a tooth 195 connected to a handle portion 197 by a curved neck 199. Optional finger posts 167 extend perpendicularly from the proximal end of handle portion 197 to provide an improved gripping area for manipulating locking lever 198. A plurality of circular grooves 166 extend through the handle portion 197 and the neck portion 199. As shown, the locking lever 198 is pivotally attached to the collapsible strut structure 140 by passing the pivot pin 191 through the sliding strut 144 and through one of the circular slots 201 in the handle portion 197 or the neck portion 199. On the other hand, the tooth 195 includes a plurality of teeth 168, the teeth 168 being configured to receive and mate with an attachment pin 193 therebetween, the attachment pin 193 extending between the inner surfaces of the pivot strut 142. Optionally, a locking lever 198 can be pivotally attached to one or both of the pivot posts 142.

Fig. 5 shows a locking lever 198, the locking lever 198 coupling the pivot strut 142 to the slide strut 144 such that the support platform 114 is fixed at a desired height. Specifically, the locking lever 198 can be selectively rotated (e.g., clockwise in fig. 5) to insert the attachment pin 193 between the two teeth 168. In this way, the

struts

142, 144 are restricted from rotating about the hinge pin 149, thereby preventing the carriage from sliding back and forth across the frame 112. To change the height of the support platform 114, a user can pull the finger post 167 and/or the handle portion 197 of the locking lever 198 upward, which causes the tooth 195 to rotate away from the attachment pin 193 (e.g., in a counterclockwise direction in fig. 5), which in turn causes the tooth 168 to disengage from the attachment pin 193. After the support platform 114 is moved to the new desired height, the locking lever 198 can be rotated to insert the attachment pin 193 between the two locking lever teeth 168.

Similar to the knee walker assembly 10, the knee walker assembly 100 can also be provided with a steering mechanism 150 configured to selectively reposition the

front wheels

120A, 120B so that the user can change the orientation of the knee walker assembly 100. The steering mechanism 150 shown in fig. 5 and 6 includes a steering column 152 operatively attached at a first end to the frame 112 and at a second end to the handlebar 116. The distal end of the steering column 152 is rotatably received in a vertically oriented hollow sleeve 158, the hollow sleeve 158 being coupled to the forward end of the frame 112 via the front axle 128. A connector plate 172 extends from a lower portion of the steering column 152, directly above the hollow sleeve 158, and is pivotally attached to the transversely oriented link 170, for example via a nut-and-bolt connection 175. The connector plate 172 attaches the link 170 to the steering column 152 such that the link 170 is displaced from side to side as the steering column 152 is rotated via operation of the handle 116. Each lateral end of the link 170 is operatively attached to a respective one of the

front wheels

120A, 120B, as described below. When so engaged, the link 170 turns the

front wheels

120A, 120B in response to rotation of the handlebar 116 and thus in response to rotation of the steering column 152.

The steering column 152 is selectively repositionable between an upright, generally vertical position, shown in fig. 5, and a folded, generally horizontal position (e.g., similar to the folded position 52B shown in fig. 2). In the illustrated embodiment, the steering mechanism 150 is provided with a lock hub 154, the lock hub 154 being configured to maintain the steering column 152 in the upright and folded positions, and in some embodiments in any of a plurality of positions between the upright position and the folded position. In this case, the steering column 152 is divided into two sections, with the upper section 153 of the steering column 152 fixedly attached to the first toothed shoulder 157 of the locking hub 154 and the lower section 155 of the steering column 152 fixedly attached to the second toothed shoulder 159 of the locking hub 154. Rotation of the tension dial 156 in one direction (e.g., clockwise in fig. 5) will loosen the lock hub 54, allowing the teeth of the first toothed shoulder 157 to disengage from the teeth of the second toothed shoulder 159. In this way, a user can selectively reorient the upper section 153 of the steering column 152 relative to the lower section 155. Once oriented in the desired position, rotation of the tension dial 156 in the opposite direction (e.g., counterclockwise in fig. 5) causes the teeth of the first and second

toothed shoulders

157, 159 to engage in meshing engagement and mechanically lock the upper and

lower segments

153, 155 of the steering column 152 in the selected orientation. Some optional features that may be suspended from the steering column 152 or otherwise mounted to the steering column 152 include the basket 127 and the cup holder 129.

When the support platform 114 is moved to its lowest elevation, for example, such that the pivot struts 142 and the slide struts 144 are approximately equalParallel to each other and to the base beam 122, and the steering column 152 is moved to its lowest height, such as in a generally horizontal position disposed across the pad 136, the packaging volume and footprint of the knee walker assembly 100 of figures 5 and 6 is reduced. In some non-limiting examples, the packaging volume of the folding knee walker assembly 100 is approximately 0.13m³To 0.50m³And in some embodiments the package volume is approximately 0.26m³. In some embodiments, the knee walker assembly 100 has a footprint of approximately 0.35m²To 0.75m²And in some embodiments the footprint is approximately 0.5m²。

The handle 116 may comprise a single handle, as described above, or may comprise a plurality of handles, such as a right handle 162A and a left handle 162B, respectively, attached at opposite ends of the upper transverse portion of the T-shaped handle mount 160. The handle 116 may be adjustable, for example, to accommodate users of different heights and/or for increased compactness during storage of the knee walker assembly 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the handle mount 160 of fig. 5 and 6 is designed to telescope with respect to the steering column 152. In this case, the downwardly extending portion of the T-shaped handle mount 160 is slidably received through an opening in the hollow portion of the upper section 153 of the steering column 152. A rotatable locking pin 164 is selectively engageable and disengageable with longitudinally spaced holes in the handlebar mounting portion 160 to enable a user to adjust the position of the handlebar 116 relative to the steering column 152. For example, rotation of the locking pin 164 (e.g., in a clockwise direction in fig. 5) will disengage the locking pin 164 from the hole in the handle mount 160 and release the handle 116, allowing it to translate longitudinally relative to the steering column 152. Once oriented in the desired position, rotation of the locking pin 164 in the opposite direction (e.g., counterclockwise in FIG. 5) will engage the locking pin 164 with the hole in the handle mount 160, thereby mechanically locking the handle 116 in the selected orientation.

The knee walker assembly 100 may be provided with an optional braking mechanism 188 that is operable to slow and/or stop the knee walker assembly 100. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the brake mechanism 188 includes a right hand brake lever 190A and a left hand brake lever 190B that are coupled to opposite ends of the upper transverse portion of the handlebar mounting portion 160. A pull wire 194 operatively connects brake levers 190A, 190B to a plunger brake 192 that is mounted to frame 112 near rear wheel 118. Actuation of either or both of brake levers 190A, 190B transfers a mechanical pulling force through pull wire 194 to plunger brake 192, causing the pivotable shoe of plunger brake 192 to be pressed onto and frictionally engage the top of rear wheel 118. As some optional variations, the braking mechanism 188 may utilize a single brake lever, may utilize multiple plunger brakes, may utilize an alternative mechanism for activating the plunger brake 192, may automatically activate the plunger brake 192, and may utilize a different type of brake assembly (e.g., a rim brake or a disc brake) other than the plunger brake 192.

The two

front wheels

120A, 120B of the knee walker assembly 100 are each configured to be selectively switched back and forth between a swing-type mounting configuration and a rigid-type mounting configuration. The knee walker assembly 100 of fig. 5 and 6 may include a variable mounting assembly 174 that may be similar in design, function, and operation to the mounting assembly 74 described above with respect to fig. 1-4. Similar to the mounting assembly 74, the variable mounting assembly 174 of fig. 5 and 6 is designed to simultaneously or nearly simultaneously transition the two

front wheels

120A, 120B from a swivel-type mounting configuration to a rigid-type mounting configuration and back to a swivel-type mounting configuration when desired. In some embodiments, the knee walker assembly 100 includes a locking mechanism that selectively engages the

front wheels

120A, 120B to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously lock the two

front wheels

120A, 120B in a rigid-type mounting configuration. This provides the knee walker assembly 100 with all of the advantages of having swivel-mounted front wheels (e.g., increased maneuverability), while eliminating the disadvantages associated with knee walker assemblies having only swivel-mounted front wheels (e.g., limited control).

Each of the

front wheels

120A, 120B is pivotally mounted to the frame 112 by a

respective pivot fork

132A, 132B and pivot joint 134A, 134B. The locking disk 176, which is most easily visible in fig. 8, is rigidly secured to the top of each

swivel fork

132A, 132B, for example, via a pair of screws. Both locking discs 176 include respective apertures 177 (readily visible in fig. 6, but labeled only in fig. 8), the apertures 177 being shaped and dimensioned to receive locking pins 186 (fig. 6), thereby locking the respective

front wheels

120A, 120B in a rigid-type mounting configuration. Similar to the configuration of the knee walker 10 described above, the knee walker assembly 100 of FIGS. 5 and 6 includes a pair of retractable

locking pin assemblies

180A and 180B for engaging and disengaging the locking pins 186 from the locking plate 176. In the illustrated embodiment, the retractable

locking pin assemblies

180A, 180B can be structurally and functionally equivalent to the retractable locking pin assembly 80 shown in fig. 3 and 4. Accordingly, these components will not be described in detail for the sake of brevity. In some alternative configurations, retractable

locking pin assemblies

180A and 180B can be structurally and/or functionally different from locking pin assembly 80 of fig. 3 and 4, either individually or collectively.

According to the embodiment of fig. 5 and 6, each retractable

locking pin assembly

180A, 180B is movably mounted to a respective one of the swivel joints 134A, 134B by a corresponding diverter plate 182 (more clearly seen in fig. 9). In this arrangement, the locking

pin assemblies

180A, 180B are rigidly mounted to the first end 181 of the diverter plate 182 in a generally vertical orientation on the rear side of the swivel joints 134A, 134B such that the locking pin 186 can pass through the first circular hole 183 in the diverter plate 182 and out of the void 177 of the locking disk 176. A second circular hole 187 extends through a second end 185 of the diverter plate 182, the second end 185 being proximate a front side of the swivel joints 134A, 134B. The steer plate 182 is coupled to the laterally oriented link 170, for example, via a nut that is received through the first circular hole 187 and that mates with a complementary bolt. A hex hole 189 between the first end 181 and the second end 185 of the steer plate 182 receives a complementary bushing therethrough for rotatably attaching the steer plate 182 to one of the swivel joints 134A, 134B.

When the locking pin 186 passes through the first circular hole 183 and into the aperture 177, the

respective wheels

120A, 120B are locked in a rigid-type mounting configuration such that the

wheels

120A, 120B are free to rotate about their respective central rolling axes, but the

swivel forks

132A, 132B are restricted from rotating freely about non-rolling axes. However, when the locking pin 186 is disposed in the aperture 177, the steer plate 182 is mechanically coupled to the lock disk 176 such that rotational force can be transmitted therebetween and the

wheels

120A, 120B can be rotated via the steer mechanism 150. When the locking pin 186 is retracted from the aperture 177, the

corresponding wheel

120A, 120B is released to the swivel-type mounting configuration such that the

wheels

120A, 120B are rotatable about their respective central rolling axes and the

swivel forks

132A, 132B are rotatable about non-rolling axes. However, when the locking pin 186 is retracted, the diverter plate 182 is no longer mechanically coupled to the locking disk 176 via the locking pin 186 such that rotational forces can be transmitted therebetween. Thus, in at least some embodiments, the steering mechanism 150 is rendered inoperable when the

front wheels

120A, 120B are in a swivel-type mounting configuration. Also, the overall degree of freedom of the

wheels

120A, 120B to rotate about their rolling axes (in a rigid or swivel mounting) can be adjusted, for example, by the brake mechanism 188. Also, as described in further detail below, the overall degree of freedom of the

swivel forks

132A, 132B to swivel about their respective non-rolling axes when in swivel mounting can be adjusted, for example, by the locking disc 176.

The knee walker assembly 100 includes an activation lever (represented here as thumb trigger 178) for disengaging the two locking pins 186 from the locking disk 176 and re-engaging the locking disk 176. As shown, thumb trigger 178 is attached to handle 116 near right handle 162A. A retractor cable 188 is routed from the thumb trigger 178 through the sheath 190 and attached at the proximal end of the locking pin 186, such as via the cable connector 94 of fig. 4. Activation of the thumb trigger 178 (which may include depressing the thumb trigger 178 to rotate it from a first "deactivated" position to a second "activated" position) applies tension to the retractor cable 188. Tension is passed through the retractor cable 188 to pull the two locking pins 186 out of engagement with the locking disk 176, e.g., upward, thereby releasing the

front wheels

120A, 120B from the rigid mounting. The two

wheels

120A, 120B are switched substantially simultaneously to a gyroscopic mounting configuration and are therefore able to rotate about respective central rolling axes, and the two

gyroscopic forks

132A, 132B are free to rotate about respective non-rolling axes.

For an optional safety feature, the thumb trigger 178 may be spring biased toward the first "off" position such that the retractor cable 188 does not apply tension to the locking pins 186, the locking pins 186 remaining engaged with their respective locking discs 176. In this way, the knee walker 100 defaults to a rigid-type mounting configuration such that the

wheels

120A, 120B are able to rotate about respective central rolling axes, but the

swivel forks

132A, 132B, while still able to be steered via the steering mechanism 150, are restricted from free rotation about respective non-rolling axes.

When the

front wheels

120A, 120B are released to the swivel mounting by the retractable locking pin assembly 180, the rotational freedom of the

swivel forks

132A, 132B can be defined to pivot within a predetermined rotational range. In a non-limiting example, the stem 179 extends generally perpendicularly from the second end 185 of the diverter plate 182 (e.g., downwardly in fig. 5 and 6). The first and

second shoulders

173A, 173B are circumferentially spaced about the periphery of the lock disk 176. When the swivel-mounted locking disk 176, which is rigidly mounted for common rotation with its

respective swivel fork

132A, 132B, is rotated about a non-rolling axis, the rotational freedom of the

swivel forks

132A, 132B is limited by the post 179, which engages the

shoulders

173A and 173B to limit further rotation of the locking disk 176. In some embodiments, the

gyroscopic forks

132A, 132B are constrained to pivot less than 360 degrees about the non-rolling axis when the

front wheels

120A, 120B are released by the retractable locking pin assembly 180. In other embodiments, the

gyroscopic forks

132A, 132B are constrained to pivot less than 160 degrees about a non-rolling axis, such as 80 degrees left and 80 degrees right from center. Of course, it is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure to limit the rotational degrees of freedom of the pivoting

forks

132A, 132B to other predetermined rotational ranges. Alternatively, the

swivel forks

132A, 132B can be allowed to rotate freely without any restriction when in a swivel mounting.

The knee walker assembly 100 may also be provided with some optional safety features. In a non-limiting example, the knee walker assembly 100 can include one or more safety mirrors to make the knee walker assembly 100 more visible to others, particularly during dusk, dawn, and night use. The safety mirror may be in the nature of a retro-reflector arrangement or a self-illuminating device or any other suitable arrangement. Alternatively or additionally, the knee walker assembly 100 may include a reflective paint.

The following exemplary embodiments of the invention are not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the invention. Some of the above-disclosed and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following examples.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a knee walker assembly is disclosed that includes a frame having a support platform and a handle mounted to the frame. At least one rear wheel is mounted to the frame proximate the rear end of the frame and at least two front wheels are each pivotally mounted to the frame proximate the front end of the frame. The locking mechanism is operably engaged with at least two front wheels. The locking mechanism is configured to lock the two front wheels in a rigid-type mounting configuration.

According to an optional aspect, the locking mechanism comprises at least two retractable locking pin assemblies, each retractable locking pin assembly being mounted to the frame and configured to selectively engage a respective one of the two front wheels, thereby locking the respective front wheel in the rigid-type mounting configuration.

Optionally, the locking mechanism may further comprise at least two locking discs, each locking disc being mounted for rotation with a respective one of the at least two front wheels and configured to cooperate with a respective one of the retractable locking pin assemblies, thereby locking the respective front wheel in the rigid-type mounting configuration.

Optionally, each retractable locking pin assembly may comprise: a housing; a pin at least partially slidably mounted within the housing; a biasing member urging the pin out of the housing; and a retractor cable configured to pull the pin into the housing.

According to another alternative aspect, the knee walker assembly may include at least two swivel forks, each mounting a respective one of the front wheels to the frame. The gyroscopic forks are each configured to rotate about a respective non-rolling axis, and the at least two front wheels are each configured to rotate about a respective rolling axis.

Optionally, the gyroscopic fork is restricted from free rotation about the non-rolling axis when the front wheel is locked by the locking mechanism.

Optionally, the two front wheels are operable to pivot less than 360 degrees about the non-rolling axis when released by the locking mechanism.

Alternatively, the locking mechanism may comprise a single activation lever configured to selectively disengage the locking mechanism from both front wheels.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a knee walker assembly for assisting a physically impaired person in walking. The knee walker assembly includes a rigid frame having a support platform mounted to the frame. The support platform is configured to support at least one human appendage. At least one rear wheel is mounted proximate the rear end of the frame. The knee walker assembly further includes at least two front wheels. A variable mounting assembly mounts the at least two front wheels proximate a front end of the frame. The variable mounting assembly is configured to simultaneously transition two of the at least two front wheels between a gyroscopic mounting configuration and a rigid mounting configuration.

Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a method of manufacturing a knee walker assembly. The method comprises the following steps: mounting a support platform to the rigid frame, the support platform configured to support at least one human appendage; mounting a handle to the frame; mounting at least one rear wheel proximate a rear end of the frame; mounting at least two front wheels proximate a front end of the frame such that the front wheels are transitionable between a gyroscopic mounting configuration and a rigid mounting configuration; and attaching a locking mechanism to the frame, the locking mechanism comprising a single actuating lever attached to a handle and configured to lock two of the at least two front wheels substantially simultaneously in the rigid-type mounting configuration.

According to yet another embodiment, a knee walker assembly is provided. The knee walker assembly includes a frame having a handle mounted to the frame. At least one rear wheel is mounted proximate the rear end of the frame and at least one front wheel is mounted proximate the front end of the frame. The knee walker assembly further includes a support platform configured to support at least a portion of the appendage. A collapsible column structure movably mounts the support platform to the frame. The collapsible strut structure includes a carriage and a first strut attached at a first end thereof to the support platform and attached at a second end thereof to the carriage. The carriage is slidably mounted to the frame such that movement of the carriage relative to the frame is operative to adjust the vertical height of the support platform.

According to an alternative aspect, the first end of the first strut is pivotally attached to the support platform and the second end of the first strut is pivotally attached to the carriage.

According to another optional aspect, the collapsible post structure further comprises a second post pivotally attached at a first end thereof to the support platform and pivotally attached at a second end thereof to the frame.

Optionally, the first leg is rotatably attached to the second leg such that when the carriage slides along the frame to adjust the vertical height of the support platform, the first and second legs move in a scissor-like manner.

Optionally, the first end of the second strut is pivotably attached to the support platform via a sliding hinge.

According to another optional aspect, the knee walker assembly may include a locking bar configured to selectively lock the first strut to the second strut such that the support platform is fixed at a desired height.

Alternatively, the locking lever may include a tooth connected to the handle portion by a neck. The neck is configured to pivotally attach the locking bar to one of the first and second stanchions. The tooth is configured to mate with an attachment pin extending from the other of the first and second struts, thereby locking the first strut to the second strut.

According to another optional aspect, the knee walker assembly may include a steering mechanism mounted to the frame and operatively attached to the at least one front wheel, the steering mechanism operable to selectively reposition the at least one front wheel.

Optionally, the steering mechanism may comprise a steering column attached at a first end thereof to the frame and at a second end thereof to the handle, the steering column being selectively repositionable between an upright position and a folded position.

Optionally, when the support platform is at its lowest levelThe knee walker assembly has approximately 0.13m in vertical height and the steering column is in its lowest collapsed position³To 0.50m³The packaging volume of (c).

According to yet another optional aspect, the at least one front wheel includes a first front wheel and a second front wheel, and the knee walker assembly further includes a first swing fork and a second swing fork, each swing fork pivotally mounting a respective one of the front wheels to the frame. Each gyroscopic fork is configured to rotate about a respective non-rolling axis, while the front wheels are configured to rotate about respective rolling axes.

Optionally, the knee walker assembly may include a locking mechanism configured to lock the two front wheels in a rigid-type mounting configuration, thereby restricting the swing fork from freely rotating about the non-rolling axis.

Optionally, the locking mechanism utilizes a single activation lever to selectively disengage the locking mechanism from both front wheels.

Optionally, the first and second swing forks are constrained to pivot less than 360 degrees about the non-rolling axis when the front wheel is not locked in the rigid-type mounting configuration.

Optionally, the first and second swing forks are constrained to pivot less than approximately 160 degrees about the non-rolling axis when the front wheel is not locked in the rigid-type mounting configuration.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a knee walker assembly for assisting a physically impaired person in walking. The knee walker assembly includes a rigid frame with at least one rear wheel mounted proximate a rear end of the frame and at least two front wheels mounted proximate a front end of the frame. The knee walker assembly further includes a support platform configured to support at least a portion of a person's leg. A collapsible column structure movably mounts the support platform to the frame. The collapsible strut structure includes a carriage slidably mounted to the frame, a first strut pivotally attached at a first end thereof to the support platform and pivotally attached at a second end thereof to the carriage, and a second strut pivotally attached at a first end thereof to the support platform and pivotally attached at a second end thereof to the frame. The carriage is configured to selectively slide back and forth along the frame to adjust the vertical height of the support platform.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a method of manufacturing a knee walker assembly. The method comprises the following steps: attaching a handle to the rigid frame; attaching at least one rear wheel proximate a rear end of the frame; attaching at least two front wheels near a front end of the frame; attaching a steering mechanism to the frame, the steering mechanism operable to selectively reposition the at least two front wheels; attaching a support platform to the collapsible column structure, the support platform configured to support at least a portion of a human appendage; attaching a collapsible stanchion structure to the frame, the collapsible stanchion structure movably mounting the support platform to the frame, the collapsible stanchion structure comprising a carriage and a first stanchion, the first stanchion attached at a first end thereof to the support platform and at a second end thereof to the carriage, the carriage slidably mounted to the frame, whereby movement of the carriage relative to the frame is operative to adjust the vertical height of the support platform.

While a number of representative embodiments and modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A knee walker assembly comprising:

a frame having opposing front and rear ends;

a handle mounted to the frame;

at least one rear wheel mounted to the frame proximate the rear end of the frame;

at least one front wheel mounted to the frame proximate the front end of the frame;

a steering mechanism mounted to the frame and operatively attached to the at least one front wheel, the steering mechanism operable to selectively reposition the at least one front wheel;

a support platform configured to support at least a portion of an appendage;

a collapsible column structure movably mounting the support platform to the frame, the collapsible column structure comprising a carriage, a first column attached at a first end thereof to the support platform and at a second end thereof to the carriage, and a second column attached at a first end thereof to the support platform via a sliding hinge and at a second end thereof to the frame, the carriage being slidably mounted to the frame such that movement of the carriage relative to the frame is operative to adjust the vertical height of the support platform; and

a locking tool having a locking bar configured to selectively lock the first leg to the second leg such that the support platform is secured at a desired one of a plurality of heights, the locking bar having an elongated body extending between a first point attached to the first leg and a second point attached to the second leg, at least one of the first point and the second point being pivotably attached such that the locking bar is pivotable about a respective length of at least one of the first leg and the second leg.

2. The knee walker assembly of claim 1, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering column attached at a first end thereof to the frame and at a second end thereof to the handle, the steering column being selectively repositionable between an upright position and a collapsed position.

3. The knee walker assembly of claim 2 wherein the support platform has a lowest vertical height and the steering column has a lowest collapsed position, the knee walker assembly having a 0.13m knee walker assembly when the support platform is at the lowest vertical height and the steering column is at the lowest collapsed position³To 0.50m³The packaging volume of (c).