EP4248933B1 - Rollator with improved usability - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rollator comprising at least one frame structure, wherein one or more handles, at least two front and two rear frame wheels and a platform connected to the frame structure via one or more hinges are arranged on the frame structure, wherein the platform is arranged so as to be foldable via two lowering means fastened to the frame structure, wherein the platform has two deflection elements on its upper side, each for a lowering means, wherein the deflection elements are each connected via a spring element to a rear platform wheel that can be pivoted through the platform, wherein the spring elements are designed such that they hold the pivotable rear platform wheels in a rest position above the platform without any weight load on the platform and in a working position below the platform when the platform is loaded by a person.

Life expectancy has increased significantly in recent decades due to advances in medicine and better care. To ensure an improved quality of life even with increasing age and the associated higher probability of physical inadequacies, technical aids have been increasingly developed and brought onto the market to compensate for the loss of one's own physical capabilities. For example, walking aids in the form of rollators have become an indispensable part of everyday life for older people or those with temporary walking difficulties. The walking aids give them back mobility and self-determination and can be used universally in the home, in the elevator, on the sidewalk or in the shop. In addition to supporting the Rollators can also have additional technical functions for mobility, for example in the form of a space-saving shape for transport. However, as walking difficulties increase, using the rollator becomes more and more complicated and, in extreme cases, the possible range of movement shrinks to just a few meters or the user's own home. One approach to providing further assistance and physical support is the integration of electric drives in rollators, which provide additional help for the person and can significantly increase the range of movement. Unfortunately, the provision of kinetic energy is only part of the solution to the problem, as severely impaired people must first be enabled to use the walking aids as intended.

Some designs for rollators can also be found in the patent literature.

For example, the DE 20 2009 009 547 U1 an electric drive for rollators, preferably for conventional rollators, in particular for mobile walking aids that serve as continuous support for people with walking disabilities or physically weak people when walking/running, wherein the electric drive has a load-bearing and electrically motorized tread surface/platform that can be reversibly or irreversibly attached to the rollator by means of fastening elements.

In another patent document, the DE 10 2017 008 258 A1 , a walking aid in the form of a rollator is shown. The rollator comprises a frame, on the underside of which at least three wheels are arranged and on which two handles are formed, an electric drive system for driving at least one of the wheels and a platform in the lower region of the frame, wherein the platform is arranged on the frame in such a way that a user of the walking aid can stand on the platform without the walking aid tipping over when the user is standing upright.

Furthermore, the EP 3 569 214 A1 an electric drive vehicle for one person, comprising a seat, a steering device and at least three wheels, wherein a foldable base plate and a foldable seat are provided.

Such solutions known from the state of the art can still offer further potential for improvement. This particularly applies to the handling of the rollator by physically disabled people and in particular to getting on and off when using the rollator.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages known from the prior art. In particular, it is the object of the present invention to provide a walking aid in the form of a rollator which can be easily used even with a high degree of physical limitations.

The problem is solved by the features of the independent claim, directed to the device according to the invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims, in the description or in the figures, whereby further features described or shown in the subclaims, in the description or in the figures can individually or in any combination constitute an object of the invention, as long as the context does not clearly indicate the opposite.

According to the invention, a rollator is therefore at least comprising a frame construction, wherein one or more handles, at least two front and two rear frame wheels and a platform connected to the frame construction via one or more hinges are arranged on the frame construction, wherein the platform is arranged to be foldable via two lowering means attached to the frame construction, wherein the platform has two deflection elements on its upper side for each lowering means, wherein the deflection elements are each connected via a spring element to a rear Platform wheels are connected, the spring elements being designed in such a way that they hold the pivotable rear platform wheels in a resting position above the platform when there is no weight load on the platform and in a working position below the platform when the platform is loaded by a person.

Surprisingly, it was found that the additional design of the rollator with a freely lowerable platform, which can assume different lowering heights depending on the weight of the platform, results in significantly improved handling, even for severely physically impaired people. For example, the platform can be lowered completely to the ground without any weight being placed on it, and this position is particularly suitable for the platform being able to be climbed onto without having to lift the feet much. Without any weight being placed on it, the platform wheels are above the actual platform and so the platform itself can be lowered completely to the ground. In this position, the rear part of the platform lies very flat above and in contact with the ground. To climb onto the platform, simply lifting the foot or feet slightly is enough to overcome the short distance between the platform and the ground. This climb can also be achieved by people whose feet or legs are very immobile or who are unable to lift their legs significantly off the ground independently. The platform can then be lifted from the ground by the weight of the person climbing on it, for example with the help of motor power. By lifting the loaded platform from the ground, the platform wheels then swing through the platform towards the ground. In the position below the platform, the wheels come into contact with the ground and can support the movement of the rollator in the rear area. The wheels, which are now located below the loaded platform, naturally also transfer part of the weight load to the ground. The user of the rollator can then move the rollator quite naturally using motor power. The wheels are held in position by the pre-tension of the lowering device. The geometry of the construction is designed in such a way that the pre-tension force is very small and only amounts to a fraction of the platform load. When reducing The pre-tensioning force of the lowering device allows the platform wheels to return to the rest position and the platform can be lowered to the ground at the rear or in its entirety. After the driver has dismounted, the platform can then be raised using the lowering device. The spring pre-tensioning ensures that the platform wheels remain in the rest position. In this case, lowering makes it easier to dismount from the rollator. The latter is due in particular to the fact that the user only has to overcome a very small difference in height. All in all, the proposed design makes it easier to get on and off the rollator, as the user only has to overcome a small difference in height with their legs to get on and off. In combination with the motorization of the rollator, even users with very limited mobility can cover longer distances independently.

The rollator comprises at least one frame structure, with one or more handles and at least two front and two rear frame wheels arranged on the frame structure. The basic construction of the rollator can be based on the known constructions of commercially available rollators. The rollator can be designed as a purely mechanical support or with a motor to drive the frame wheels. The rollator has a frame, for example made of plastic or steel. At least the rollator wheels and, if necessary, a drive for at least one of the rollator wheels are attached to this frame structure. In principle, none, one, several or all of the rollator's wheels can be driven. An electric motor, for example, which is powered by a battery as an energy source, is suitable as a drive. To make the rollator easy to handle, handles can be attached to the upper area of the frame structure, which can be designed to mechanically grip the frame structure or to steer the entire rollator. In addition to these elements, the rollator can have other elements on the frame structure, such as brakes or light sources, which can make the rollator's movement safer in particular.

A platform is arranged on the rollator and is connected to the frame structure via one or more hinges. In addition to the frame structure, the rollator has at least one other platform, for example rectangular or square, which is connected to the frame structure of the rollator on one side via hinges. The attachment via hinges to the frame structure is preferably carried out in the lower area of the rollator via two or three hinges. The hinges allow the platform to be folded towards the rollator or lowered towards the ground.

The platform can be lowered using two lowering devices arranged on the frame structure. To lower the platform or to fold it onto the frame structure, the platform has lowering devices that are connected to both the platform and the frame structure. The lowering devices can be in the form of a hydraulically or gas-operated piston or round cylinder, for example, or in the form of cables. The lowering devices are preferably connected to an upper part of the frame structure on the one hand and to the lowerable platform on the other. The lowering devices can preferably be attached to the platform in the rear area, i.e. further away from the frame structure. The platform can be lowered, for example, by extending the extent of the lowering devices. In the case of a cable pull, the cable or cables can be unrolled from a roller, for example, and the platform can thus be swung down towards the ground.

The platform has two deflection elements on its top, each for a lowering device. Starting from the frame construction, the lowering devices extend in the direction of the platform. On the top of the platform, i.e. the side that does not face the ground, the platform has two deflection elements, with one deflection element interacting with one lowering device. The deflection elements on the top of the platform ensure, for example, that the cable pull changes direction at the deflection element when using a cable pull. If the cable pull previously extends from the frame construction in the direction of the non- attached end of the platform, after contact of the cable with the deflection element, the direction of the cable is deflected by preferably greater than or equal to 60°, further preferably greater than or equal to 75° and further preferably greater than or equal to 80°. The cable can also be attached directly to the deflection element. If the lowering elements are designed in the form of a hydraulic spring element, the deflection of the spring element can result from a partial rotation of the attachment point on the deflection element.

The deflection elements are each connected via a spring element to a rear platform wheel that can be pivoted through the platform. The spring elements are designed in such a way that they hold the pivoting rear platform wheels in a resting position above the platform when the platform is not loaded with weight, and in a working position below the platform when the platform is loaded with weight by a person. The interaction of the deflection elements with the lowering device acts on one platform wheel per deflection element. When the platform is not mechanically loaded, the platform wheels are held above the platform level by the spring element. When the platform is not mechanically loaded, this design means that the platform can be lowered all the way to the ground. Only when a specific force is exerted on the deflection element, for example by a person climbing on, is the spring force overcome when the lowering device is tensioned and the rear platform wheel is pivoted through the platform level towards the ground. If the mechanical load on the platform remains unchanged and the lowering devices provide the necessary preload, the wheel remains in contact with the ground and absorbs the mechanical loads that occur. If the preload of the lowering devices is reduced, the wheel can swing through the plane of the platform again and the platform can be lowered all the way to the ground. The geometry of the construction is designed so that the preload force of the lowering devices is minimal and only amounts to a fraction of the platform load.

In a preferred embodiment of the rollator, the lowering means can be motorized cable pulls. For a reliable and very easy-to-control folding and unfolding of the platform, it has proven particularly advantageous for the lowering means to be designed in the form of cable pulls. The cable pulls can be controlled very easily and precisely and can cause the platform wheels to be folded over quickly and reproducibly via the deflection elements.

In a further preferred embodiment of the rollator, the deflection elements or the platform can have two mechanical stops, whereby the mechanical stops are each designed to hold the corresponding platform wheel at an angle of greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 90° relative to the platform plane when subjected to mechanical load. In order to mechanically securely fix the wheels that can be pivoted by the platform, it has proven advantageous to do this via a mechanical stop, which in particular prevents the wheels from being aligned more than vertically to the platform. In this embodiment, the individual platform wheel can therefore be at most vertical to the platform. Preferably, the platform wheel is able to assume smaller angles in relation to the platform plane. The designated angle results from the axis of symmetry of the platform wheel and the platform plane. The stop can be a mechanical stop, which is attached below the platform and whereby the wheel is prevented from swinging further purely mechanically. However, it is also possible for the limitation in the deflection of the platform wheel to be achieved by a mechanical stop on the deflection element. With this angular alignment to the platform, the platform wheel can safely absorb the mechanical forces that occur on the loaded platform and contribute to the mechanical stabilization of the entire rollator. In this angular alignment, the platform wheel(s) can also swivel into the rest position after the lowering device preload has been reduced, and after the platform has been mechanically relieved, it can be fully raised with the platform wheels in the rest position using the lowering device.

In a further preferred aspect of the rollator, the mechanical stops can each be designed to hold the corresponding platform wheel at an angle of greater than or equal to 85° and less than or equal to 89.5° relative to the platform plane when subjected to mechanical load. In particular, an alignment in the angle range specified above can help the platform wheels to transfer the mechanical loads that occur to the ground in a particularly stable manner and the preload force of the lowering means is minimized. Furthermore, this angle range can help the platform wheel to swing back into the area above the platform particularly easily after the preload of the lowering means has been reduced by the load on the platform.

According to a preferred characteristic of the rollator, the deflection elements can be arranged at a distance of less than or equal to 20 cm from two outer edges of the lowerable platform. For mechanical stability and safety of use, it has proven particularly suitable that the two deflection elements are arranged relatively close to the outer edges of the lowerable platform. The deflection elements can preferably be located in the area of the corners of the lowerable platform. In this position, the mechanical loads that occur can be safely absorbed and the user can be provided with the greatest possible freedom of movement on the platform.

In a further preferred embodiment of the rollator, the two rear platform wheels can be designed to be non-steerable. For the simplicity and safety of handling the rollator, it has proven particularly advantageous that the two rear platform wheels are not steerable, but are rigid. In these cases, the control and steering of the rollator is only ensured by the frame wheels, although steering can then also be carried out via the frame construction.

In a preferred aspect of the rollator, the two rear platform wheels can be designed to be steerable. In the case of unfavourable ground conditions and However, if there is limited space to move the rollator, it can be advantageous if the rear platform wheels are also designed to be steerable. By being able to steer the rear of the rollator, the turning circle of the rollator can be reduced and narrow, winding passages can also be negotiated safely. In addition, with steerable platform wheels, the platform can be extended over the rear wheels of the rollator, thus making the vehicle more stable.

In a further design of the rollator, the deflection elements can be designed in the form of a full or half roller. For a safe and mechanically reliable design of the deflection elements, it has proven particularly advantageous that the deflection elements are in the form of rollers on the platform. If, for example, cables are used, the deflection of the cable alignment then takes place along the circumference of the roller. Due to the fact that only small deflections of the cable are sufficient to activate the folding of the platform wheels, the roller does not have to be a full roller but can also be a half or partial roller. In a partial roller, only one angular segment of the deflection element is designed in the form of a circular segment.

In a preferred embodiment of the rollator, the deflection elements can be designed in the form of a circular segment on at least one side, with the circular segment having an angular circumference of greater than or equal to 75° and less than or equal to 110°. This partial angle range of the deflection elements has proven to be particularly suitable for reliable and simple deflection. The forces that occur can be safely diverted via the roller and simple and quick movement of the platform wheels through the platform is ensured.

Within a further preferred aspect of the rollator, the rollator may be a motorized rollator, wherein preferably one or more frame wheels of the rollator are connected via a Electric motor. It is also possible for the electric motor to provide the power to move the lowering devices.

In a further preferred embodiment of the rollator, the two lowering devices can be designed to be lowered and raised by a common drive. For quick and simultaneous lowering and raising of both lowering devices, both lowering devices can be mechanically combined. It can be particularly advantageous if the lowering devices are designed in the form of side pulls, for example. In this case, the separately guided lowering devices can be coupled together in front of the cable pull motor. The mechanical coupling means that both cables move simultaneously and in a controlled manner and tipping of the platform is basically avoided.

Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the objects according to the invention are illustrated by the figures and explained in the following examples. It should be noted that the figures are merely descriptive and are not intended to limit the invention in any way.

Fig. 1

eine Vorderansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators mit angeklappter Plattform;

Fig. 2

eine Rückansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators mit angeklappter Plattform;

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators mit angeklappter Plattform unter teilweiser Auslassung der Rahmenkonstruktion;

Fig. 4

eine Vorderansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators mit heruntergeklappter Plattform;

Fig. 5

eine Rückansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators mit heruntergeklappter Plattform;

Fig. 6

einen Teilausschnitt eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators im unteren Bereich der Rollatorkonstruktion;

Fig. 7

eine Rückansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators mit heruntergeklappter Plattform in Fahrtposition;

Fig. 8

eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollators mit heruntergeklappter Plattform in Fahrtposition unter teilweiser Auslassung der Rahmenkonstruktion;

Fig. 9

eine Detailansicht eines Umlenkelements in Fahrtposition;

Fig. 10

eine Detailansicht eines Umlenkelements in Fahrtposition unter Definitionen des Winkels zwischen Umlenkelement und Plattformebene.

The

Fig. 1

a front view of a rollator according to the invention with folded platform;

Fig. 2

a rear view of a rollator according to the invention with the platform folded up;

Fig. 3

a side view of a rollator according to the invention with folded platform and partial omission of the frame construction;

Fig. 4

a front view of a rollator according to the invention with the platform folded down;

Fig. 5

a rear view of a rollator according to the invention with the platform folded down;

Fig. 6

a partial section of a rollator according to the invention in the lower area of the rollator construction;

Fig. 7

a rear view of a rollator according to the invention with the platform folded down in the driving position;

Fig. 8

a side view of a rollator according to the invention with the platform folded down in the travel position with partial omission of the frame construction;

Fig. 9

a detailed view of a deflection element in the driving position;

Fig. 10

a detailed view of a deflection element in travel position with definitions of the angle between the deflection element and the platform plane.

The Figure 1 shows a front view of a rollator (1) according to the invention with a folded-up platform (7). The rollator (1) is, for example, in a resting position. The rollator (1) has a frame construction (2), which in this case is provided with two handles (3) at the upper end. The frame wheels (4, 5) of the rollator (1) are attached to the lower end, on the floor. The front frame wheels (4) are located in the direction of movement of the rollator (1). The rear frame wheels (5) are located against the direction of movement of the rollator (1). The front (4) and rear frame wheels (5) are each attached to the frame construction (2) of the rollator (1). The platform (7) is in this case attached to the frame construction (2) via two hinges (6) and can be brought into a folded-up or lowered position by means of the lowering means (8) via the axis of rotation of the hinges (6).

The Figure 2 shows a rear view of a rollator (1) according to the invention with the platform (7) folded in. Figure two shows a possible embodiment of the rollator (1) according to the invention in a view from the rear. As in the Figure 1 the handles (3), the frame construction (2), the front frame wheels (4), the rear frame wheels (5), the hinges (6) and the lowerable platform (7) are shown. In addition, the pivoting rear platform wheels (11) can be seen in this figure. These are located above the platform level (7) when not mechanically loaded.

The Figure 3 shows a side view of a rollator (1) according to the invention with a folded platform (7) with the frame construction (2) partially omitted. In this view, the side parts of the frame construction (2) are omitted for a better view of the platform level (7). In this embodiment of a rollator (1) according to the invention, the rollator has the same Figures 1 and 2 a frame construction (2) with handles (3). The front frame wheels (4) and the rear frame wheels (5) are attached to the frame construction (2). In addition, the foldable platform (7) is shown, which is arranged on the frame construction (2) via a hinge (6). The platform (7) is connected to the frame construction (2) via one or more lowering means (8) so that it can be lowered. In this embodiment, the lowering means (8) are designed in the form of one or more cable pulls. The lowering means (8) are connected to a deflection element (9) in the rear part of the platform (7). A platform wheel (11) is attached to the deflection element (9), which can be pivoted via the deflection element (9) in relation to the relative position to the platform plane.

The Figure 4 shows a front view of a rollator (1) according to the invention with a lowered platform (7). In this position, for example, a user can very easily climb onto the rollator (1) according to the invention. The lowering means (8), for example in the form of one or more cables, are fully extended so that the platform (7) contacts the ground in the rear area. Without pre-tensioning by the lowering means (8), the platform wheels (11) are above the platform level. For this reason, the platform (7) can be completely lowered to the ground. This design makes it very easy to climb onto the platform (7) without the feet of the user of the rollator (1) having to be lifted too far off the ground.

The Figure 5 shows a rear view of a rollator (1) according to the invention with the platform (7) folded down or lowered. From the rear perspective, it is also easy to see that the rollator (1) is very easy to climb onto when the platform (7) is folded down.

The lowering means (8) are fully extended and the rear part of the platform (7) is in contact with the ground. Due to the fact that the lowering means (8) do not exert any preload on the deflection elements (9), the platform wheels (11) are located above the platform (7) and ground contact of the rear area of the platform (7) is possible.

The Figure 6 shows a partial section of a rollator (1) according to the invention in the lower area of the rollator construction. In this section it can be clearly seen that when the lowering means (8) are lowered, the rear area of the platform (7) comes into contact with the ground. Due to a lack of pre-tension by the lowering means (8) on the deflection elements (9), the platform wheel (11) is held at least substantially above the level of the platform (7).

The Figure 7 shows a rear view of a rollator (1) according to the invention with the platform (7) folded down in the travel position. If the lowering means (8) are raised slightly, a preload is exerted on the deflection elements (9), which not only raises the platform (7) but also causes the platform wheels (11) to swing through the plane of the platform (7) and contact the ground when the platform is loaded. In particular, this design can reduce the mechanical load on the platform (7), since the weight of the person on the platform does not have to be fully supported by the lowering elements (8). This measure can significantly reduce the mechanical load on the lowering means (8) and the frame (2).

The Figure 8 shows a side view of a rollator (1) according to the invention with the platform (7) folded down in the travel position with the frame construction partially omitted. This figure also shows that when a preload is exerted on the deflection elements (9) by the lowering means (8), the deflection elements (9) and the platform wheel(s) (11) pivot from a position above the platform (7) towards the ground and contact it.

The Figure 9 shows a detailed view of a deflection element (9) in the driving position. The platform wheel (11) is pivoted from a position above the platform (7) towards the ground by the preload exerted on the deflection element (9) via the lowering means (8). The spring element (10) highlighted in this figure causes the rear platform wheel (11) to pivot automatically back to a position above the platform (7) when the preload on the deflection element (9) is reduced.

The Figure 10 shows a detailed view of a deflection element (9) in the travel position with definitions of the angle between the deflection element (9) and the platform plane. The relevant geometric elements for defining the swivel angle are highlighted in this figure. The swivel angle is relative to the plane of the platform (7). This plane is shown by a horizontal, dashed line. The second leg for defining the swivel angle is the line connecting the centers of the deflection element (9) and the rear platform wheel (11).

list of reference symbols

1

rollator

2

frame construction

3

grab handles

4

front frame wheels

5

rear frame wheels

6

hinges

7

vertically foldable platform

8

lowering agent

9

deflection elements

10

spring element

11

pivoting rear platform wheel

Claims (10)

1. A rollator (1) comprising at least a frame structure (2), wherein one or more handles (3), at least two front (4) and two rear frame wheels (5) and a platform (7) connected to the frame structure (2) by one or more hinges (6) are arranged on the frame structure (2), characterised in that the platform (7) is arranged such that it can be folded down via two lowering means (8) attached to the frame structure (2), the platform (7) having two deflection elements (9) on its upper side, each for one lowering means (8), the deflection elements (9) being connected to the frame structure (2) in each case via a spring element (10) to a rear platform wheel (11) that can be swivelled by the platform ( 7), wherein the spring elements (10) are configured such that they hold the rear platform wheels (11) that can be swivelled in a rest position above the platform (7) when the platform (7) is not loaded with weight and in a working position below the platform (7) when the platform (7) is loaded with weight by a person.
2. The rollator (1) according to claim 1, wherein the lowering means (8) are motorised cable pulls.
3. The rollator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection elements (9) or the platform (7) have two mechanical stops, wherein the mechanical stops are each arranged to hold the corresponding platform wheel (11) at an angle of greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 90° relative to the platform plane under mechanical load.
4. The rollator (1) according to claim 3, wherein the mechanical stops are each arranged to hold the corresponding platform wheel (11) at an angle of greater than or equal to 85° and less than or equal to 89.5° relative to the platform plane under mechanical load.
5. The rollator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection elements (8) are arranged at a distance of less than or equal to 20 cm relative to two outer edges of the platform (7) that can be lowered.
6. The rollator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two rear platform wheels (11) are not designed to be steerable.
7. The rollator (1) according to one of claims 1-5, wherein the two rear platform wheels (11) are designed to be steerable.
8. The rollator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection elements (8) are designed in the form of a full or half roller.
9. The rollator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection elements (8) are configured in the form of a segment of a circle on at least one side, wherein the segment of a circle has an angular circumference of greater than or equal to 75° and less than or equal to 110°.
10. The rollator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two lowering means (8) are designed to be lowered and raised by a common drive.

Images