HK1181296B - Rising support integrated in a walking aid - Google Patents

Description

Rising support incorporated in a walking aid

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a rising support incorporated in a walking aid.

Background

For persons who need assistance while walking, different types of walkers are available for selection. One such kind of walker is known as a walking table. The walking table has a pad on the armrest platform and a handle in front of the pad. The walking table has a frame on four wheels and the height of the armrest table is adjustable relative to the frame. Thus, the armrest platform is vertically adjustable. In many embodiments, the height adjustment of the handrail table is power driven. In use, the user's forearms are placed on the pad while the user grasps the handle.

Many people do not have the leg power to raise themselves to a standing position even though they are able to walk on support from a walker. There are a number of different uprisal aids currently available for assisting a user to rise from a sitting position to a standing position and vice versa. Caregivers or relatives often assist a person needing assistance in rising to a standing position with or without the use of a rising aid. Some people may be able to get up on their own with the support of the powered vertically adjustable portion of the walker. However, others need further assistance in order to be able to rise to a standing position.

There are several different types of walking tables and other walkers. The invention can be arranged on most walkers having a vertically adjustable portion.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide rising support for a user using height adjustment of existing walkers. By utilizing the existing functionality of the walker, a relatively low cost solution is presented. Furthermore, the need for a separate uprisal aid is to a large extent obviated.

According to the invention, the rising support is incorporated in a walking aid, giving the aid to the walking aid a means of automatically assisting the user in rising from a sitting position to a standing position. The power-driven height adjustment device is used to assist a user in rising to a standing position. The user is placed in a sling or harness and is automatically raised to a standing position by the movement of height adjustment in a suitable manner by the provision of traction means (e.g. wires, straps, ropes or chains).

It is easier to adapt existing walkers to use the present invention. Typically, the only adjustment to an existing walker having a vertically adjustable portion is to set one or more traction devices in an appropriate manner. In addition to adjustment of the walker, it is only necessary to provide a sling or harness and one or more traction devices.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention.

Drawings

The present invention will be described further hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

figure 1 is a view from the rear of an example of a walking aid in the form of a walking table,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the walking table of FIG. 1, an

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a user rising from a sitting position to a standing position using one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

As it appears in this specification, the terms "upper", "lower", "rear" and similar terms are in view of the walker in normal use and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention is described in connection with one type of walking table, but those skilled in the art will recognize that the walker may have many different designs. However, the walker should have at least two parts (components) that are adjustable in height relative to each other. Typically, the first portion is fixed and the second portion is adjustable in height relative to the first portion. Therefore, the walker should have a vertically adjustable portion.

The walking platform shown has a frame comprising two lower frame posts 1. The lower frame post 1 is tubular. The upper frame column 2 is received within the tubular lower frame column 1. The upper frame column 2 is free to move in the longitudinal direction inside the lower frame column 1. As described above, the form and number of frame posts may vary. Thus, in other embodiments, the frame posts are not circular, but have other cross-sectional forms. In some embodiments, there is only one post having lower and upper portions that support height adjustment, while in other embodiments there are more than two mating lower and upper posts. The cross bar 3 is arranged between the lower frame posts 1 at the upper part of the lower frame posts 1. Above the upper frame column 2 is provided a handrail table 4 with a protection pad. The position of the pad is adjustable. In one example, the armrest platform 4 has a front portion and two rear portions on either side. As indicated by line 15 in fig. 2, the rear part of the armrest platform 4, i.e. the part facing the person using the walking platform, may be turned away outwards in the horizontal plane of the armrest platform 4. By rotating away the rear portion of the armrest platform 4, the user can get up and sit down easily. The handle 5 is provided in front of the armrest platform 4 and is gripped by a person using the walking platform. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the handle 5 may be positioned in many different positions relative to the armrest platform 4.

In the lower part of the frame two wheel holders 6 are arranged, each wheel holder 6 having two wheels 7. Wheels 7 are provided at opposite ends of each wheel base 6 and the rear wheel of each wheel base 6 is normally provided with a foot operated brake. The wheel housings 6 are arranged at a distance from each other to allow a user walking space between the wheel housings 6. At the lower part of the frame there is an engine and control unit 8. In some embodiments, the position of wheel base 6 may be adjusted by engine and control unit 8.

By means of the engine and control unit 8, the state (position) of the actuator 9 can be controlled. In the embodiment shown, the actuator 9 is driven by a motor supported by a battery. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the actuator 9 may be driven in many different ways, for example pneumatically, hydraulically or by gas. Typically, actuators in the form of gas cylinders are used. In some cases, the height of the movable portion may be manually adjusted. The actuator 9 raises and lowers the armrest platform 4 relative to the frame. During the raising and lowering of the armrest platform 4, the upper frame post 2 moves inside the lower frame post 1.

Below the crossbar 3, a knee support 10 is arranged between the two lower frame posts 1. The knee support 10 is generally padded. In one embodiment, the knee support has the form of two different knee supports, each provided on one frame post 1, which can turn sideways when walking. The purpose of the knee support 10 will be explained further below. In some embodiments, there is no knee support.

Furthermore, the shown walking stage has two traction means in the form of wires 11, each having one end fastened to the crossbar 3. In other embodiments, the traction device is in the form of a rope, belt, chain, or the like. In the embodiment shown, the wire 11 has a snap hook for fastening to the crossbar 3. From the crossbar 3, the wires 11 each pass through a loop 12, which loop 12 is arranged on the underside of the armrest platform 4. In other embodiments, the loops are replaced by hooks, loops, or the like. Loops, hooks, loops, etc. may be provided on any portion of the vertically adjustable section. Starting from the loop 12, the wires 11 go to a sling or harness 13, in which sling or harness 13 one end of each wire is releasably fastened, for example by means of a snap hook. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the wires may be secured to the cross bar 3 and sling 13, respectively, in many different ways. Furthermore, the traction device may be secured to other parts of the fixed portion of the walker than the crossbar. Alternatively, the traction device may run over a crossbar or the like of the movable part of the walker, wherein no loops, hooks, rings or the like are present. Even though two wires are shown in the figures, other numbers of traction devices may be used in other embodiments. For example, it is possible to use only one pulling device, which can be divided into two or more parts at the ends.

In some embodiments, the traction device is connected to a transmission so that the force and speed of the lifting motion can be adjusted. The transmission includes a plurality of gears.

In assisting the user in rising from a sitting position to a standing position, the armrest platform 4 of the walking platform as shown in fig. 1 and 2 is set in a lower position by the actuator 9 and the brake (device) of the rear wheel 7 is activated. With the armrest platform 4 in the lower position, the user to be raised is located in the sling 13 and the knees rest against the knee supports 10 arranged below the crossbar 3 of the frame. If desired, the knee support is turned to the proper position to assist the user in rising. Subsequently, the wire 11 is fastened to the sling 13. Furthermore, the user, who is located in the sling 13, grasps the handle 5, thereby rotating the rear portion of the armrest platform 4 away, if possible, from interfering with the rising action. With the armrest platform 4 in the lower position, a large portion of each wire 11 is disposed between the loop 12 and the sling 13. As the armrest platform 4 is raised by the actuator 9, the length of the wire 11 provided between the loop 12 and the sling 13 decreases. Thus, the sling 13 is forced to the direction of the walking board. When a user located in the sling 13 abuts his/her knees against the knee support 10, the user is automatically lifted up because the distance between the sling 13 and the walking table is reduced. The user is also supported in the rising motion by means of the raised armrest platform 4. When the user is in the standing position, the movement of the armrest platform 4 is stopped. The rear part of the armrest platform 4 is then turned back towards the centre, if appropriate, to support the forearms of the user using the walking platform. If two different knee supports are used, they are swung apart so as not to impede walking. The brakes can then be released so that the user starts walking with the help of the walking platform.

For movement from a standing position to a sitting position, the path of the above movements is reversed. Thus, the brakes of the walking table are first activated to position the walking table in a suitable position in front of the chair or any other seating facility. If appropriate, the rear part of the armrest platform 4 is turned away and the knee support is turned into position. Subsequently, the armrest platform 4 is lowered until the user in the sling 13 is in a seated position. The wire is then detached from the sling and the user is freed from the sling 13.

In the diagram of fig. 3, the function of the walking stage of fig. 1 and 2 is schematically shown. In fig. 3 a, the user is shown in a seated position. In this position, the armrest platform 4 is in a lowered position and the length of each wire 11 between the crossbar 3 and the loop 12 is much smaller than the length between the loop 12 and the sling 13. In fig. 3 b, the user is shown somewhere between sitting and standing positions and in this position the length of each wire 11 between the crossbar 3 and the loop 12 is increased, while the length of each wire 11 between the loop 12 and the sling 13 is decreased. As mentioned above, this is achieved in that the handrail table is raised by the actuator 9 and the wire 11 is passed through a corresponding loop 12 in the handrail table 4. In fig. 3 c, the user is shown in a rising position, wherein the length of the wire 11 between the crossbar 3 and the loop 12 is further increased and the length of the wire between the loop 12 and the sling 13 is further decreased. For other embodiments, the motion may be different than that schematically illustrated in fig. 3. An example of another movement is if the transmission is used for wires or the like.

The sling 13 may have any form that provides support during the user's movement to rise from a sitting to a standing position. The walking stage can have many designs as long as it has parts that are movable relative to each other.

Claims (11)

1. A walker having an integrated uprisal support, said walker having a portion which is adjustable in height relative to the remainder of the walker, characterized in that: the walking aid has one or more traction devices fastened to a sling (13), wherein one end of each traction device is fastened to the sling (13), the other end of each traction device is fastened to a fixed part of the walking aid that is not affected by any lifting movement, and each traction device moves via a part that is adjustable in height, which part that is adjustable in height comprises an armrest platform (4) arranged above the part that is adjustable in height, which walking aid has an actuator (9) connected to the part that is adjustable in height, which walking aid comprises a motor and control unit (8) and at least one knee support (10), and which rises when the person in the sling is lifted from a sitting position to a standing position.

2. The walking aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more traction devices comprise wires (11), straps, ropes and chains.

3. The walking aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more traction devices are arranged to be movable relative to the part adjustable in height.

4. The walker of claim 3 wherein the one or more traction devices slide over and over a portion of the height adjustable section.

5. The walking aid of claim 3, wherein the one or more traction devices pass through one or more hooks, loops or rings on a portion of the portion adjustable in height.

6. The walking aid of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more traction devices are connected to a transmission.

7. The walking aid according to claim 1, wherein one end of each traction device is fastened to a crossbar (3) as part of the frame of the walking aid, wherein the frame has a lower frame post (1) being tubular and wherein an upper frame post (2) is movably received in the longitudinal direction within the lower frame post (1) and wherein the armrest platform (4) is arranged above the upper frame post (2).

8. The walker of claim 7 wherein the rear portion of the armrest platform may be swung away.

9. The walking aid of any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the one or more traction devices are passed from the crossbar (3) through loops (12) provided on the underside of the armrest platform (4).

10. A walking aid according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein a spring hook is provided on at least one end of each traction means.

11. The walking aid according to claim 7, wherein a knee support (10) is provided between the lower frame posts (1).