US3213870A - Crutches - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 26, 1965 M. H. KlEHN 3,213,870

Filed Feb. 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M MJ/f (iii/I, B

Oct. 26, 1965 M. H. KIEHN 3,213,870

CRUTCHES Filed Feb. 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -I 1k "I INVENTOR United States Patent M 3,213,870 CRUTCHES Mogens H. Kiehn, Evanston, 111., assignor to Kiehn Products Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 21, 1263, Ser. No. 260,234 4 Claims. (Cl. 135-49) This invention relates in general to walking aids for handicapped or otherwise disabled persons. It deals particularly with a crutch construct-ion.

It is not uncommon to see a handicapped person, making his or her way about on crutches. Crutches are well known and Widely used, and have been for centuries. Traditionally a crutch comprise an elongated, generally T-shaped structure which provides the user with a body support and a hand support, the body support in the form of a short cross piece placed in the armpit of the user. (Two crutches might also be used, of course.) An alternative to the foregoing construction, and presently a widely used crutch construction is found in the arm type crutch which also provides hand support but which braces against the forearm of the user, in contrast to a body support, for example.

Presently known crutch constructions have common faults, however. Neither of the foregoing traditional crutch constructions elfectively support the users torso in a comfortable manner so that he might walk using minimal energy, for example. With the arm support construction this is readily evident, of course, since the arms carry the entire load. In the conventional armpit support type crutch there is usually such a painful concentration of load at the armpit of the user that he tends to use his arms primarily to carry the great bulk of the load.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved crutch construction.

It is another object to provide a crutch construction which more effectively supports the user.

It is still another object to provide a crutch construction which supports the user in a relatively more comfortable manner.

It is a further object to provide a crutch construction which is utilized with a minimal drain on the users energy.

It is still a further object to provide a crutch construc tion of the aforedescribed character which is simple in construction and relatively inexpensive.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in accordance with the present invention by providing a revolutionary new crutch construction. The invention contemplates a crutch which supports the users frame comfortably at all times. The user readily moves about on his crutche(es) with a minimum of effort obtaining maximum torso support. Furthermore, the present crutch construction is adjustable to the frame of the user, whether male or female, to assure maximum support regardless of the size or configuration of the user.

In one aspect of the present invention fluid torso support is provided by the crutch embodying features of the present invention. Accordingly, relative movement between the crutch and the user is accommodated without diminishing support.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, taken with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by re erence to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a man using crutches embodying features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper end of the crutch illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the upper end of the crutch illustrated in FIG. 2;

3,213,876 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 ice FIGURE 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the crutch illustrated in FIGURES 1-3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of the upper end of the crutch embodying features of a modified form of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the upper end of the crutch illustrated in FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged top plan view of the crutch illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URE 1, a full grown man 10 is illustrated as he walks supported by a pair of crutches 11 embodying features of the present invention. The crutches 11 comfortably support the torso 12 of the user 10 while he moves about. The support is elfected in such a manner that the weight of the torso 12 is advantageously distributed on the crutches 11 while minimal energy is required to walk. To accommodate variations in the size and configuration of the user 10, the crutches 11 are adjustable. Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, the crutches 11 provide a fluid support which adapts itself to relative movement between the crutches 11 and the user 10 as the user walks.

The crutches 11 are identical in construction, of course, one being the mirror image of the other. Accordingly, only one crutch 11 is described in detail, like components of the crutches 11 being identified by corresponding reference numerals. Henceforth substantially all references will be to the crutch 11 associated with the right arm 15 of the user 10, however.

Still referring to FIGURE 1, the right hand crutch 11 comprises a leg 20 carrying a body support assembly 21 at its upper end and a non-skid rubber boot 22 at its lower end. A conventional hand grip assembly 23 is mounted on the leg 20 at an appropriate position intermediate its ends, as indicated, for grasping in the hand 25 of the user 10.

The body support assembly 21 is adjustable according to the present invention to accommodate variations in the length and configuration of the users torso 12. Such accommodations in configuration might be necessary, for example, where the user is a woman rather than a man. The body support assembly 21 also provides fluid support of the torso 12 according to the present invention. Accordingly, relative movement between the torso 12 and the crutch 11, a necessary result of walking with crutches, is accommodated without any diminishment in support by the crutch 11.

The leg 20 of the crutch 11 is preferably fabricated in sections from sturdy aluminum pipe stock, or the like. A lower section 30 is telescoped with an upper section 31 and is adjustably secured thereto by a conventional looking pin 32. The pin 32 extends through a single mounting passage (unidentified) in the lower end of the upper section 31 and is adapted to extend through one of a plurality of passages 33 in the lower section 30. This arrangement facilitates lengthening and shortening the crutch 11 at will, of course, to accommodate users 10 of varying size.

The shoe 22 is preferably a rubber cup arrangement fashioned in a conventional manner and adapted to fit snug'ly over the lower section 30 of the leg 20. It provides non-slip traction for the crutch 11 as the crutch swings backwardly and forwardly in moving support of the user 10 during his walking, for example. This construction is conventional, of course, as is the length adjustability of the crutch length 20, and the details of these features form no specific part of the present invention.

The handle assembly 23 mounted on the upper section 31 of the leg 20 is generally conventional also, as would be expected. Accordingly, it is not shown in detail. Suffice it to say that the handle assembly 23 comprises a short tubular handle grip 35 secured to the upper section 31 of the leg 20 by a machine screw (not shown) or the like extending through the upper section 31. The handle assembly 23 is positioned at a predetermined distance below the body support assembly 22 to accommodate arms of varying length and accordingly different sized users. The positioning of the handle assembly 23 is not critical and might vary somewhat without detracting from the efiiciency of the crutch 11.

The body support assembly 21 includes an armpit support 40 and a torso support 41. As seen in FIGURE 1, the armpit support 40 supports the user at the joinder of his arm and torso 12 while the torso support 41 provides direct support for the torso 12. The armpit support 40 is fixed on the upper end of the leg while the torso support 4-1 is adjustable for vertical movement on the leg 20, as well as being mounted for fluid support of the torso 12.

Referring to FIGURES 24, the armpit support 40 is seen to comprise a generally arcuate tubular member 45 secured to the upper end of the leg 20. The member 45 is preferably fabricated of aluminum pipe stock covered with rubber padding 46 or the like. The pipe (not shown) might be welded to theleg 20. As will be noted, the leading end 47 of the member 45 curves upwardly and inwardly about the torso 12 of the user 10, while the trailing end 48 merely curves upwardly. The leading end 47 is curved inwardly for twofold reasons. It provides a certain amount of support to the torso 12 besides eliminating the protrudence which would ordinarily be present if the leading end 47 extends straight forward.

The torso support 41 includes a segmentally cyclindrical member 50 mounted for vertical adjustment as well as universal movement on the leg 20 below the armpit sup port 40. Vertical adjustment of the torso support 40 of the leg 20 facilitates adjusting the crutch 11 to variations in size and configuration in the torso 12 of the user 10. Universal movement of the member 50 perm-its the member to adapt itself readily to the movement of the user 10 as the crutch 11 is swung backwardly and forwardly in walking support of the user. This assures substantially constant support of the torso 12 of the user 10 regardless of the relative position of the crutch 11 and the torso 12.

The segmentally cylindrical member 50 includes a segmentally cylindrical plate 55 fabricated of a sturdy aluminium alloy or the like. The corners 56 of the plate 55 are rounded to prevent the user from being injured by a sharp projection. A pad 57 of foam rubber or the like is secured to the face 58 (see FIG. 4) of the plate 55 by any suitable means, such as gluing, to provide a padded support for the torso 12 of the user 10.

The plate 55 is connected to the upper section 31 of the leg 20, for vertical adjustment relative to the leg 20 and universal movement relative thereto, on a mounting unit 59. The mounting unit 59 includes a socket member 60 rigidly secured to the inside of the leg 20 by a conventional machine bolt 61 extending through a passage 64 in the upper section 31 of the leg 20. A ball 62 rigidly secured to the back of the plate 55 is seated in the socket member 60 is a well known manner to define a universal joint. The vertical adjustment of the member 50 on the leg 20 is facilitated by removing the machine bolt 61 and remounting the socket member 60 on the upper section 31 of the leg 20 at one or the other of the vertically displaced passages 65 or 66, for example.

In actual use by a handicapped person, for example, as depicted in FIGURE 1, two crutches 11 are normally required. Each crutch 11 provides support in substantially the same manner. In essence, the user 10 grips the handles 35 with corresponding hands and seats the tubular cross members 45 in his armpits. When the crutches 11 are brought inwardly toward the torso 12 to a comfortable lateral angular relationship between the users torso 12 and the crutches 11, the segmentally cylindrical members 50 engage the torso 12 of the user 10 in supporting relationship. The members 50 adapt themselves to optimum supporting relationship with the torso 12 by virtue of their universal mounting on corresponding legs 20.

As the user 10 moves forwardly his torso 12 is virtually resting between the opposed padded support members 50 in that it tends to be wedged between them and a substantial vertical support component is introduced. In other words, the support members 50 assume a slightly outwardly inclined relationship. In this regard, note that the limit of this outwardly inclined relationship is illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 3. The armpit supports 45 provide a substantially fixed base in the armpits of the user 10 for levering the support members 20 tightly against the torso 12 of the user 10 as he walks. The bulk of the weight of the user 10 is thus carried by the body support assemblies 21 and only a minor portion of the load is carried by the arms 15 of the user through the hand grip as semblies 23.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of a crutch(es) 11 having universally mounted torso supporting members 50 for providing fluid support of the users torso 12, it should be understood that under certain circumstances, such fluid support might not be necessary. A crutch which embodies all other features of the present invention but which is adapted for rigid support of the users torso is illustrated at 111 in FIGURES 5-7.

The crutch 111 comprises a leg fabricated of sturdy aluminum pipe stock in a manner similar to the construction of the crutch 11. A body support assembly 121 is mounted on top of the leg 120 and provides support according to the present invention. The body support assembly 121 includes an armpit support and a torso support 141.

The armpit support 140 supports the user at the joinder of his arm 15 and torso 12 while the torso support 41 provides direct support for the torso 12. The armpit support 140 is fixed on the upper end of the leg 120 of the crutch 111 while the torso support 141 is adjustable for vertical movement on the leg 120.

The armpit support 140 comprises a generally tubular pipe member 145 preferably welded to the upper end of the leg 120. The pipe member 145 is fabricated of aluminum pipe stock or the line and, in this instance, is not covered with a padding material. Similarly to the aforedescribed crutch 11, the leading end 147 of the member 145 turns upwardly and inwardly while the trailing end 148 merely curves upwardly. Angular braces 149 between the leg 121) of the crutch 111 and the leading and trailing ends 147 and 148 thereof. The braces 149 are also fabricated of aluminum pipe stock or the like and might be welded to the leg 120 and the leading and trailing ends 147 and 148 of the member 145.

The torso support 141 includes a segmentally cylindrical member 150 mounted in outwardly inclined relationship on the leg 124i below the armpit support 140 for vertical adjustment on the leg 120. Vertical adjustment of the segmentally cyclindrical member 150 adjusts the crutch 111 to the length and configuration of the torso 12. The segmentally cylindrical member 150 comprises a plate fabricated of a sturdy aluminum alloy or the like. The corners 156 of the plate are rounded to prevent the user from being injured by sharp projection.

The member 150 is connected to the leg 120 for vertical adjustment relative to the leg 120, as best seen in FIG. 6, by a mounting unit 159. The mounting unit 159 includes a mounting member 160 rigidly secured to the inside of the leg 126 by a conventional machine bolt 161 extending through the passage 164 in the leg 120. The member 150 is preferably welded to the mounting member 160.

Vertical adjustment of the segmentally cylindrical member 150 is effected by removing the machine bolt 161 and remounting member 160 on the leg 120 at one of the vertically displaced passages 165 or 166 through the leg 120.

It will now readily be understood that clutch constructions have been illustrated which are capable of supporting a handicapped persons frame comfortably at all times. The person can readily move about on crutches 11 or 111 embodying features of the present invention with minimal effort, obtaining maximum torso support. The crutches 11 and 111 are adjustable to the frame of the user to assure positive support regardless of the size and configuration of the torso 12 of the user.

It will be further understood that in one aspect of the present invention fluid support of the torso 12 is assured. This facilitates relative movement of the crutches 11 and a handicapped persons torso 12, as he walks, assuring maximum support at all times.

The crutches embodying features of the present inven-/ tion provide support for the user in a relatively more comfortable manner than heretofore thought possible with the conventional crutch constructions. Collateral to this minimal drain on the users energy is caused by use of these crutches 11 and 111.

While an embodiment described herein is at present considered to be preferred, it is understood that various modifications and improvements may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and improvements as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved crutch construction comprising; elongated leg means, means on the lower end of said leg means for engaging a supporting surface, body support means adjacent the upper end of said leg means, and hand grip means between said body support means and said surface engaging means, said body support means including armpit support means for seating in the armpit of a user, and torso support means disposed between said armpit support means and said hand grip means for engaging the side of and supporting the torso of the user,

said torso support means including a support member formed substantially of rigid material and having a support surface curved about an axis to conform generally to the side of the user, said support surface of said sup port member being inclined outwardly and upwardly when the crutch construction is arranged for use whereby support is provided the user by said torso support means.

2. The crutch construction of claim 1 further characterized in that said armpit support means includes an elongated member extending substantially transversely of said leg means and having an upwardly curved trailing end and an upwardly and inwardly curved leading end.

3. The crutch construction of claim 1 further characterized in that said torso support means includes -an arcuate member mounted for universal movement and adapted to engage and provide fluid support for the torso of the user.

4. The crutch construction of claim 1 further characterized in that said torso support means includes an arcuate member fixedly mounted with respect to said supporting surface at a predetermined outward inclination.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 130,283 8/72 Darrach 49 321,867 7/85 Van Vleck 27270.4

923,556 6/09 Miller 27270.4 1,262,905 4/18 Anderson 135-52 1,307,058 6/19 McGrath 13549 2,358,853 9/44 Dunnicliff 135-49 2,439,316 4/48 Peacock 13547.5 2,696,826 12/54 Davies 13552 2,915,760 12/59 Bair 32 FOREIGN PATENTS 663,247 12/51 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN IMPROVED CRUTCH CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING; ELONGATED LEG MEANS, MEANS ON THE LOWER END OF SAID LEG MEANS FOR ENGAGING A SUPPORTING SURFACE, BODY SUPPORT MEANS ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID LEG MEANS, AND HAND GRIP MEANS BETWEEN SAID BODY SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID SURFACE ENGAGING MEANS, SAID BODY SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING ARMPIT SUPPORT MEANS FOR SEATING IN THE ARMPIT OF A USER, AND TORSO SUPPORT MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID ARMPIT SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID HAND GRIP MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE SIDE OF AND SUPPORTING THE TORSO OF THE USER,

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