WO2000048547A1

WO2000048547A1 - Wheeled walking frame

Info

Publication number: WO2000048547A1
Application number: PCT/SE2000/000337
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Wallström; Petra Carlsson
Original assignee: SAMHALL GRIPEN AB
Current assignee: SAMHALL GRIPEN AB
Priority date: 1999-02-18
Filing date: 2000-02-18
Publication date: 2000-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 2001-08-18
Also published as: SE9900548D0; SE9900548L; SE513970C2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rollator (1) with walking frame function, in which the rollator (1) is braked on being placed under loading. This is attained in that the rear wheels (3) are included in a wheel and brake unit, in which the wheels (3) are rotatably journalled in relation to a brake arm (11). The wheel fork (4) which supports the rear wheels (3) is pretensioned via a spring (10) to a position which holds the brake surface (12) of the brake-arm (11) at a relatively slight distance from the wheel (3). When the rollator is placed under loading, the wheel fork (4) is rotated in relation to the frame (16) of the rollator (1), the wheel (3) moving up and against the brake surface (12) of the brake-arm (11). When the loading ceases, the spring (10) moves the wheel (3) away from the brake surface (12) of the brake arm (14).

Description

WHEELED WALKING FRAME

The present invention relates to a rollator with walking frame function.

There are various types of supports for people who, for various reasons, have difficulty in walking. In this instance, there are different types of so-called rollators and walking frames. There are moreover different types of zimmer frames. On one hand, there are zi mer frames which replace walking sticks or the like and in which there are two frames beside the user when walking. Moreover, there is a type of walking frame which is relatively common in the United States and where the user walks behind the frame. When people use a walking frame of this latter type, they lift the walking frame a distance ahead of them and then walk up to the walking frame, at the same time as a part of their bodily weight rests on the walking frame. When users have caught up with the walking frame, they lift it ahead of them again, and so on. One problem inherent in this type of walking frame is that the people using it must themselves lift the frame forwards, which may be heavy for generally weakened patients.

One object of the present invention is to make it simpler for patients using the walking technique when walking behind the walking frame which is lifted forwards. This is put into effect according to the present invention in that the walking frame is provided with wheels and thus may be said to be a combination of a rollator and a walking frame, or in other words a rollator with a walking frame function. The expression "rollator" as employed in the description below generally relates to such a rollator of this type with walking frame function.

The rollator is intended for people who indeed have enough strength to walk, but because of giddiness or other complaint, need to stop and/or rest occasionally. The object as set out above is attained according to the present invention in that the rollator has a brake which only acts when there is a loading. This implies that walking takes place in accordance with the following cycle. The user first pushes the rollator forward a distance without resting on it. Then the rollator is subjected to load in that the person places weight on the handle of the rollator, the rollator being then braked. At the same time as the rollator is under loading, the user catches up the rollator. Thereafter, a new cycle may be commenced by pushing the rollator forwards.

The rollator being braked under loading, this implies that it is braked if the user sits and rests on it or if the user stands and rests against it. Moreover, it will be braked if the user is about to lose his balance and thereby supports against the rollator.

Given that the rear wheel is placed further back than is normal in rollators, the user may have the feeling of walking "within" the rollator. This implies that the user feels also having a rearward support, which may be important to impart a sense of security to the user. Those people for whom this type of rollator is intended often suffer from giddiness.

Further objects and advantages with the present invention will be apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of the rollator according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a detailed view from the side of a brake and wheel unit in the rollator according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the brake and wheel unit according to Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the wheel fork provided at the brake and wheel unit according to Figs. 2 and 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the rollator 1 is, in the usual manner, constructed from a frame 16 consisting of different frame sections. The rollator 1 further has four wheels 3, two handles 14 and a sit plate 15. The present invention does not relate to the general construction of the rollator 1, for which reason this, as such, will not be described in greater detail here.

In the rollator 1 according to the present invention, only the rear wheels 3 are braked and they are included in a wheel and brake unit. The brakes are activated when the rollator 1 is subject to loading. The wheel and brake unit which constitutes an important part of the present invention, may be employed in many different types of rollators.

It is fully possible to cause the front wheels also to be included in a brake and wheel unit in the same manner as the rear wheels. However, this is not always desirable, since the sit plate 15 is occasionally employed as a tray for moving objects. Loads which are placed on the sit plate 15 will be taken up for the greater part by the front wheels, which implies that the weight of the load which can be moved on the sit plate 15 will be less if the front wheels 3 are also braked on being subject to loading. Thus, it is in practice possible to carry a heavier load if the front wheels 3 are not included in a wheel and brake unit compared with if they were included in such a unit.

The respective wheel and brake units of the rollator 1 include a wheel 3, carried by a wheel fork 4. The wheel fork 4 is rotatably journal led in a frame section 2. The frame section 2 also supports a brake arm 11 which is fixed, i.e. non-rotatably, secured to the frame section 2. The brake arm 11 displays a brake surface 12 which lies a relatively slight distance away from the wheel when the brake is not activated. In other embodiments, the brake surface 12 which is turned to face towards the wheel 3 is also provided with a brake lining or has a friction-increasing surface structure, etc. The wheel 44 has a projection 5 directed away from the wheel 3 in normal use. This projection 5 displays an accommodation spring anchorage 8 for accommodating a spring 10 whose other end is secured in a spring anchorage 9 on the frame section 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper spring anchorage 9 is disposed adjacent an anchorage point 4 securing the brake-arm to the frame section 2. The spring 10 acts to rotate the wheel fork 4 around the journal 6 so that the wheel 3 is actuated in a direction away from the brake arm 11.

While the spring 10 in the illustrated embodiment is a draw spring, a person skilled in the art will perceive that, in other embodiments, it is possible to employ other types of springs such as torsion springs or gas springs.

The wheel fork 4 displays a wheel shaft 7 in the centre of the wheel 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the wheel fork 4 has been adapted to the configuration of the wheel 3 and displays recesses 13 for the "tyre section" of the wheel 3.

On loading of the rollator, the frame section 2 is activated in its longitudinal direction, as intimated in Fig. 2 by the arrow F. In this instance, because the wheel fork 4 is rotatably journal led, the wheel 3 is moved up towards the brake-arm 11. The wheel fork 4 rotates around its journal 6 against the action of the spring 10. When the loading F on the rollator 1 ceases, the spring 10 contracts, the wheel 3 once again moving away from the brake-arm 11. The loading on the rollator may have various causes, such as that a person is "resting on the handle" 14. That someone is sitting on the sitplate 15 or that someone is stumbling etc, and in such instance grips the rollator so as not to fall.

In practice, the wheel and brake unit according to the present inven- tion makes the rollator a combination of rollator and walking frame. It might also be said that it is a rollator with walking frame function, which in this case means that it has the appearance of a rollator but is used in a manner which normally corresponds to using a walking frame. The wheel and brake unit may be adapted relatively simply to va- rious types of rollators, for which reason it is simple to retrocon- struct existing rollators so that they will have a walking frame function. In principle, a standard rollator may be used as a point of de- parture and the existing brakes and rear wheels can be replaced by the wheel and brake units according to the present invention.

In the illustrated embodiment, the brake arm 11 is screwed to the frame-section 2. In other embodiments, the brake arm may be welded, soldered, glued or riveted to the frame section. In yet a further embodiment, the brake arm 11 is an integrated part of the frame section 2. Because the brake acts on loading, the advantage will be afforded that the rollator is always braked when a user is sitting on it, i.e. no type of handbrake needs to be employed. If there is a need for a handbrake, a person skilled in the art will readily perceive that it is a simple matter to install one.

On dimensioning of the spring, the spring must be sufficiently rigid to be able to move the wheel away from the brake-arm when the rollator is in the unloaded state. However, the spring 10 must not be more powerful than that the rollator is braked when the user places it under loading.

Claims

1. A rollator, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rollator (1) is braked under loading.

2. The rollator as claimed in Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rear wheels (3) constitute a part of a wheel and brake unit.

3. The rollator as claimed in Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wheel and brake unit includes a brake arm (11) which has a brake surface (12), a slight distance above the wheel (3) when the rollator is not on the loading.

4. The rollator as claimed in Claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the brake arm (11) is fixed to a frame section (2) of the rollator (1).

5. The rollator as claimed in Claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the brake arm (11) is welded, soldered, glued or secured by anchorage means to the frame section (2) or constitutes an integrated part of the frame section (2).

6. The rollator as claimed in any of Claims 4 and 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wheel (3) in the wheel and brake unit is rotatably journalled in the frame section (2).

7. The rollator as claimed in Claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wheel (3) via a spring (10) is tensioned to lie a distance from the brake surface (12) of the brake arm (11) when the rollator (1) is in the unloaded state.

8. The rollator as claimed in Claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the spring (10) is a draw spring, a torsion spring or a gas spring.

. The rollator as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that on loading of the rollator (1) the wheel (3) pivots against the action of the spring (10) up towards the brake surface (12) of the brake arm (11).

10. The rollator as claimed in any of Claims 3-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the brake surface (12) of the brake arm (11) is provided with a friction-increasing coating or has a friction-increasing surface structure.