Abstract:
A multifunction device for people with limited mobility allows a person to perform a variety of everyday activities with greater ease using a single device. The device has a gripper, which may be used as a shoehorn or to pick up small items; a leg lift, which may be used to reduce stress on the hip and/or knee when making leg movements; and a finger assembly, which may be used to push or pull light objects such as bedding and clothing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a device to be used by a person with limited mobility to assist with daily activities, and more particularly to a single device that perform multiple functions, such as acting as a leg lift, a shoe horn, a gripper, a sock remover, and a dressing aid. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Typically, after hip or knee surgery, a patient purchases a kit with tools to make the performance of everyday tasks easier during recovery. Such a kit may include anywhere from four to eight different items. Available kits often contain low quality items, making it look as if the patient is getting more from them than they really receive. The tools in the kits are often difficult to use, and are all separate, forcing the patient to keep up with the various elements. Despite the variety of tools available in current kits, not a single kit offers one of the most essential items for recovery: a leg lift. 
     It is therefore desirable to provide a single device that incorporates the functions of the various elements typically included in a hip or knee kit. It is further desirable for the single device to incorporate a leg lift. It is further desirable for the device to be a single, compact, easy to use device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, the invention relates to a device comprising a grasper assembly, a mount, a leg lift stirrup assembly, and a finger assembly. The grasper assembly may comprise a shaft with a first end and a second end; a handle assembly attached to the first end of the shaft; and an engaging portion attached to the second end of the shaft, such that a user may grasp an object with the engaging portion while holding the handle assembly. The mount may be removably attached to the shaft of the grasper assembly. The leg lift stirrup assembly may be removably attached to the mount, and the leg lift stirrup assembly may comprise a stirrup such that the user with a foot may place the foot in the stirrup and lift the foot by pulling the handle assembly. The finger assembly may be removably attached to the mount, and the finger assembly may comprise fingers such that the user may engage an object with the fingers and push or pull the object by pushing or pulling the handle assembly. 
     The handle assembly may comprise a movable portion and a stationary portion, where the stationary portion is attached to and is stationary with respect to the shaft and where the movable portion is movable with respect to the stationary portion. The engaging portion may comprise a housing, a clamp, and a stop, and the stop may be connected to the movable portion of the handle assembly via a rod, where the rod extends through the shaft, such that squeezing the movable portion of the handle assembly toward the stationary portion of the handle assembly actuates the clamp such that the clamp moves toward and presses against the stop. 
     The mount is removably attached to the shaft adjacent the engaging portion. The mount may comprise a shaft snap ring, where the shaft snap ring may be snapped onto the shaft and fit snuggly thereon and may be removed from the shaft when desired; a finger housing slot; and a stirrup housing. 
     The leg lift stirrup assembly may further comprise a first mounting peg and a second mounting peg. The stirrup may have a first end and a second end, and the first mounting peg may be attached to the first end of the stirrup and the second mounting peg may be attached to the second end of the stirrup. The first mounting peg and the second mounting peg may fit together such that the stirrup forms a loop. The first mounting peg and the second mounting peg may fit within the stirrup housing. The first mounting peg and the second mounting peg may have a bore therethrough and a screw may be placed through the bore and held in place by a threaded insert such that the screw holds the stirrup in place relative to the shaft but allows the stirrup to pivot from an open position to a closed position. The stirrup assembly may be removable such that the stirrup may be removed from the device by removing the screw and the threaded insert from the first mounting peg and the second mounting peg and removing the first mounting peg and the second mounting peg from the stirrup housing. 
     The finger assembly may further comprises a mounting end with a bore therethrough, and the finger housing slot on the mount may comprise two sides with holes therein and a slot between the two sides, where the holes align with the bore when the mounting end of the finger assembly is placed within the slot. The finger assembly may further comprise a screw extending through the bore and the holes in the two sides of the finger housing slot, where the screw is held in place by a threaded insert, and where the screw holds the finger assembly in place relative to the shaft but allows the finger assembly to pivot from an open position to a closed position. The finger assembly may be removable such that the finger assembly may be removed from the device by removing the screw and the threaded insert from the bore and the two holes and removing the mounting end from the finger housing slot. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a multifunction device for people with limited mobility; 
         FIG. 2  a perspective view of the device; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the device with the finger and leg lift elements removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the device with the finger and leg lift elements in an open position; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the device with the finger and leg lift elements in a closed position; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the finger element; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the mount for the finger and leg lift elements; and 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the leg lift element. 
     
    
    
     Other advantages and features will be apparent from the following description, and from the claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The devices discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use this invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting in scope. 
     While the devices have been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the construction and the arrangement of the structural and functional details disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the devices are not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification. 
     Referring to the figures of the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate like elements throughout the several views, and initially to  FIG. 1 , a multifunction device for use by people with limited mobility is provided. The device incorporates a shoehorn/grasper assembly  1 , as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,917 (“the &#39;917 patent”), which is incorporated herein by reference; a leg lift stirrup assembly  2 ; and a finger assembly  3 . 
     The shoehorn/grasper assembly  1  may comprise a handle assembly  4 , a shaft  5 , and an engaging portion  6 . The handle assembly  4  may comprise a movable portion  7  and a stationary portion  8 . The stationary portion  8  of the handle assembly  4  may be mounted on one end of the shaft  5 , with the engaging portion  6  of the shoehorn/grasper assembly  1  mounted on the opposite end of the shaft  5 . The engaging portion  6  may comprise a housing  9 , a clamp  10 , and a stop  11 . The clamp  10  may be connected to the movable portion  7  of the handle assembly  4  via a rod  12 , where the rod  12  extends through the shaft  5 . Squeezing the movable portion  7  of the handle assembly  4  toward the stationary portion  8  of the handle assembly  4  may actuate the clamp  10  such that the clamp  10  moves toward and presses against the stop  11 , as described in the &#39;917 patent. 
     The shoehorn/grasper assembly  1  may be used for putting on socks or shoes without bending at the hip and/or leg. In use, the patient slides the stop  11  into the shoe or sock and actuates the clamp  10  toward the stop  11  by squeezing the movable portion  7  of the handle assembly  4  toward the stationary portion  8  of the handle assembly  4 . The patient then inserts his or her foot into the shoe or sock, with the stop  11  acting as a shoe horn. Once the patient&#39;s foot is in place, the patient releases the movable portion  7  of the handle assembly  4 , thus releasing the clamp  10  from the stop  11  and allowing removal of the shoehorn/grasper assembly  1  from the shoe or sock. The shoehorn/grasper assembly  1  may also be used for grasping items that are out of the patient&#39;s reach, allowing the patient to move such items without painful and possibly injurious movement. In use, the patient places shoehorn/grasper assembly  1  such that the stop  11  is on one side of the object to be moved and the clamp  10  is on the other. The patient actuates the clamp  10  toward the stop  11  by squeezing the movable portion  7  of the handle assembly  4  toward the stationary portion  8  of the handle assembly  4  to grasp the object, and releases the movable portion  7  of the handle assembly  4  to release the object. 
     The leg lift stirrup assembly  2  and the finger assembly  3  may attach to the shaft  5  of the shoehorn/grasper assembly via a mount  13 . The mount may comprise a shaft snap ring  14 , which may be snapped onto the shaft  5  and fit snuggly thereon; a finger housing slot  15 ; and a stirrup housing  28 . The leg lift stirrup assembly  2  may comprise a stirrup  16  and mounting pegs  18  and  19 , each attached to one end of the stirrup  16 . The leg lift stirrup assembly  2  may further comprise two tension washers  31  and  32 . The mounting pegs  18  and  19  may fit together such that the stirrup  16  forms a loop. The mounting pegs  18  and  19  may fit within the stirrup housing  28 . The mounting pegs  18  and  19  may have a bore  20  therethrough such that a screw  21  may fit through the bore  20  and be held in place by a threaded insert  22 . Thus, the mounting pegs  18  and  19  may be placed within the stirrup housing  28 , the screw  21  may be placed through the bore  20  in the mounting pegs  18  and  19 , and the screw  21  may be tightened into the threaded insert  22  such that the stirrup  16  is held in place relative to the shaft  5 , but is capable of being rotated from an open position, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , and a closed position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The stirrup  16  may be used as a leg lift. Such use reduces stress on the hip and/or knee when making leg movements. The patient may use a combination of leg strength and stirrup pulling pressure to move his or her leg. In use, the patient slides the stirrup  16  over the end of his or her foot. The patient positions the stirrup so that it is securely in the arch of the foot and locks his or her knee in place. The patient grabs the handle  8  and pulls gently until the stirrup  16  is tight against the bottom of the foot. While maintaining constant and consistent pulling pressure on the stirrup  16 , the patient gently lifts his or her leg into the desired position. The patient then carefully removes the stirrup  16  from his or her foot. 
     As the patient recovers, he or she may no longer desire to use the stirrup  16 . The leg lift stirrup assembly  2  may then be removed from the mount  13  by removing the screw  21  and removing the mounting pegs  18  and  19  from the stirrup housing  28 . 
     The finger assembly  3  may have a mounting end  23  with a bore  24  therethrough. The mounting end  23  may fit into the finger housing slot  15  in the mount  13 . The finger mounting slot  15  may have holes  25  on either side thereof. A screw  26  may be placed through the holes  25  and the bore  24  and may be secured into a threaded insert  27  such that the finger assembly  3  is held in place relative to the shaft  5 , but is capable of being rotated from an open position, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , and a closed position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The mounting end  23  may have ribs  29  on its sides such that the ribs  29  may fit within grooves  30  in the sides of the finger housing slot  15  in the mount  13  to lock the finger assembly  3  into place. One side of the ribs  29  may be seen in  FIG. 6  and one side of the grooves  30  may be seen in  FIG. 7 . 
     The finger assembly  3  may be used to push and pull light objects, such as bedding and clothing. In use, the patient locks the finger assembly  3  into place on top of the grasper housing  9  and aligns the fingers assembly  3  with the desired object. Holding the handle  8 , the patient pulls or pushes the object to move it into the desired position. 
     As the patient recovers, he or she may no longer desire to use the finger assembly  3 . The finger assembly  3  may then be removed from the mount  13  by removing the screw  26  and removing the mounting end  23  from the finger housing slot  15 . If the stirrup is likewise no longer in use, the entire mount  13  may be removed from the shaft  5  and the shoehorn/grasper assembly  1  may be used alone. 
     The multifunction device may be used by people with short term needs, such as patients recovering from surgery or injury, or by people with long term needs, such as patients suffering from stroke, neurological injury, or chronic pain. The device replaces the typical bag of tools with a single, compact, easy to use device. The device functions as a leg lift, shoe horn, gripper, sock remover, and dressing aid. The single device saves patients from the time and hassle of trying to find needed recovery items, and gives patients the items they need for their daily living activities. The device combines many of the items a patient needs into one product for ease of use. 
     Whereas, the devices have been described in relation to the drawings and claims, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.