Adjustable and reducible walking aid and method of using same

A reducible walking aid is disclosed that incorporates three bitubular sections in slidable engagement with one another in the preferred embodiment. The first and third sections are connected via a pair of elastic cables attached to slidable, bidirectional hinge elements anchored to the near ends of the first and third sections, with the cables running through the tubular sections of the second section. To reduce the size of the walking aid, one pulls in opposite directions on the first and second bitubular sections. Once the hinges are generally clear of the second section, the first section is folded over the second section in one direction. The third section is folded in the opposite direction in a similar fashion to accomplish the complete folding of the crutch. To restore the walking aid to its original operating size, one grasps the folded first and third sections and opens them until they are in generally axial alignment with the second section, at which time the first and third sections slide into the second to provide a rigid vertical support. Means are also provided for adjusting the height of the walking aid both below and above the hand grip. The hand grip is of novel design and is adjustable along an infinite number of positions on the second section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to the art of folding or reducing 
vertical supports, and more particularly to the art of walking aids that 
are capable of being reduced in size. More specifically, the present 
invention relates to an orthopedic crutch that can be reduced to one third 
of the operational length of such a walking aid. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Many types and forms of vertical supports have been developed in the 
related areas of the art of the present invention. Poles, rods, canes and 
crutches have all been designed in ways that allow them to be reduced in 
size. However, there are several shortcomings in both the production and 
operation aspects of these inventions that would be desirable to cure. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,233 issued Jan. 18, 1972 to Robertson, shows a folding 
cane or crutch. A tension cord is attached to the top and bottom tubular 
segments and runs through any intermediate segments. The joints between 
segments are formed by male and female fittings integral to the tubular 
segments. Robertson describes very narrowly the structure of the 
male/female fittings and emphasizes that they are to be integral to the 
tubular segments. The cane in Robertson is adjusted to a limited extent 
for height by changing the position of the hand grip as seen in FIG. 6. 
Because the device in Robertson is a single vertical support, there is no 
provision for minimizing or accomodating the torque exerted on the 
support. 
The two U.S. Pat. Nos. to Hyman, No. 3,730,544 issued May 1, 1973 and Re. 
No. 28,067 issued July 9, 1974, show collapsible ski pole and rod 
structures. Hyman uses male/female type fittings generally similar to 
Robertson. A flexible tether cord runs the length of the pole. Mechanical 
cocking and locking means are provided for applying tension to the cord, 
thus locking the tubular segments into a linear configuration. Due to the 
nature of the devices shown in Hyman's two patents, naturally there is no 
way to adjust the vertical height of either device. Like Robertson, the 
Hyman patents do not disclose any means for minimizing torsional forces. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,297 issued to Bolen, Jr. et al. on Apr. 11, 1972 
discloses a coupling or joint for folding tubular parts--here, parts of a 
paddle. A single directional, hinged plug is anchored into one tube. The 
other end is slidably located in the second tube. Mounted at this second 
end is a screw threaded at both ends and narrower between the threadings. 
A nut is anchored inside the second tube. To secure the two tubes 
together, one pushes the plug into the second tube and screws the adjacent 
threading into the internal nut until the device is secure. Again, no 
means are shown for dealing with the torsional forces created when the 
device's supporting means is twisted. 
A spring-loaded folding cane is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,579 issued to 
Knotter et al. on July 9, 1985. A relatively elaborate hinging joint is 
locked by the operator when a spring-loaded locking ring 33 is slipped 
over the axially aligned joint segments. To unlock the device in Knotter, 
the user pulls the locking ring up along the device's shaft against the 
biasing of the spring, and then, while holding the ring clear of the 
joint, folds the shaft. Once again, the problem of torsional forces is not 
addressed due to the nature of the device. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,962 issued to Diamontis on June 3, 1975 shows a 
collapsible crutch using a telescoping hinged joint and a relatively 
complex series of holes, buttons and slots. A pair of identical latch 
buttons are moved along slots on the two tubular elements of the crutch to 
release the hinges, allowing the crutch to be folded. A mechanically 
specific structure is used to accomplish locking. Diamontis provides for 
adjustability by making the arm rest 5 adjustable by means of locking 
buttons 8. Diamontis specifically states that the crutch user needs 
another person to assist in adjusting the height using the disclosed 
structure since two lock buttons must be maintained in a depressed 
position while the arm rest is pulled out. 
Finally, two U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,478 to Husa issued Mar. 3, 1981 and 
4,437,480 issued Mar. 20, 1984, show a folding crutch. A hinged plug is 
anchored to the lower tube of the crutch, while being slidable within the 
upper tube. To secure the two tubular segments, one pushes the plug up 
into the upper segment until a button locks the joint. The later Husa 
patent adds reinforcing rings outside the joint. Husa does not disclose 
any means for adjusting the height of the crutch nor dealing with torquing 
of the lower, single tube element. 
Of the above patents, only Diamontis shows a collapsible crutch having more 
than one collapsible tubular member. All others show only a unitary 
folding or collapsing vertical support. Diamontis requires a pair of 
two-part locking mechanisms to assist the user in folding the crutch when 
not in use and also requires two people to adjust the operational height. 
Several of the other patents disclose aids that a user can fold without 
assistance, but, they sacrifice the added stability of having more than 
one vertical support. A two support walking aid that could be both 
adjustable and reducible by the user alone would therefore be a 
significant advancement in the art of reducible walking aids. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a reducible 
walking aid that is easily reduced in size and easily restored to its 
operating structure by the user without assistance. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a reducible 
walking aid that does not require any mechanical locking or unlocking 
means. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable 
and reducible walking aid that is easily produced and has fewer moving or 
mechanical parts than devices in the related art. 
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a reducible 
walking aid that, using one set of elements, combines the means for easily 
adjusting the operational height of the walking aid to accomodate 
different users with the means for reducing the size of the walking aid 
for the times when the aid is not in use. 
It is still a different object of the present invention to provide a 
reducible walking aid that is easily adjustable for a wide variety of user 
physiques. 
How these and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be 
described with reference to the following description of the preferred 
embodiment of the invention taken in conjuction with the FIGURES. 
Generally, however, the objects of the present invention are accomplished 
with a reducible walking aid that incorporates three bitubular sections in 
slidable engagement with one another. The first and third sections are 
connected via a pair of elastic cables attached to slidable, bidirectional 
hinge elements anchored to the near ends of the first and third elements. 
The second bitubular section is located between the first and third 
sections, with the cables running through the tubes of the second section. 
To reduce the size of the walking aid, one pulls in opposite directions on 
the first and second bitubular sections. When the slidable, bidirectional 
hinge element has cleared the second section and can go no further due to 
limiting means attached to the hinge elements, the first section is folded 
over the second section in any direction. The third section is folded in a 
similar manner. To restore the walking aid to its original operating size, 
one grasps the folded first and third sections and opens them until they 
are in generally axial alignment with the second section, at which time 
the first and third sections slide into the second by means of inward 
biasing means, to provide a rigid vertical support and set the operational 
height adjustment automatically. Means are also provided for adjusting the 
overall height of the walking aid both below and above the adjustable hand 
grip and thereby to simultaneously accomodate the height and armlength 
requirements of an individual user. 
Other variations, applications and modifications of the present invention 
may appear to those skilled in the art after reading the specification. 
Any descriptions herein are illustrative only and other embodiments are 
deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention if they fall 
within the scope of the claims which follow the description of the 
preferred embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is generally shown in 
FIG. 1. A crutch 20 consists generally of an arm rest 22, a first 
bitubular section 24, a second bitubular section 26 including a hand grip 
28, a third bitubular section 30 and a friction pod 32. Arm rest 22 and 
pod 32 are of conventional construction and are well known in the art. 
The first bitubular section 24 consists of a pair of identical hollow tubes 
34 the upper ends of which are mounted to arm rest 22 in any conventional 
fashion. The arm rest assists in minimizing the torsional forces that are 
exerted on the crutch when it is twisted in use as well as providing rigid 
support means for the tubes 34 of first section 24. A cushion (not shown) 
of rubber or other pliable material is typically placed over the arm rest 
22 to provide for the user's comfort. As seen in FIG. 2, each of the tubes 
34 has a number of holes 36 drilled through it. These holes are capable of 
holding pins 38, the purpose of which will be described in more detail 
below. The lower ends of tubes 34 have anchored hinge elements 40 attached 
to the inner tubular surfaces. The hinge elements 40 are anchored by any 
suitable means such as by the compression pins 42 seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
As also seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, each bracket 44 is pivotably secured by 
pivot pins 46 to both anchored element 40 and mobile element 48. 
The mobile elements 48 are slidable within tubes 50 of the second section 
26. Tubes 50 are of slightly larger diameter than tne tubes 34 so that 
tubes 34 of first section 24 can slide into coaxial engagement with the 
opposing tubes 50 of second section 26. The hinging configuration of first 
section 24 and second section 26 is symmetrically repeated between the 
third section 30 and second section 26. 
The upper end of each tube 62 of third section 30 has anchored thereto a 
hinge element 40 identical to the anchored hinge element 40 of first 
section 24. Once again, as seen in FIG. 5, a bidirectional bracket 44 
pivotally connects the anchored element 40 to a mobile element 48. 
Compression pins 42 and pivot pins 46 are again used in an identical 
fashion. In the preferred embodiment, longitudinally opposing pairs of 
mobile elements 48 are connected via an elastic cable 54 which, when the 
crutch is in its operational configuration, extends between mobile 
elements 48 within tube 50. Elastic cable 54, when in this position, 
provides a slight bias of the two modile elements 48 toward one another. 
This slight bias is adequate to keep the crutch in its operational 
position when it is lifted off the ground. Elastic cables 54 are attached 
to the sliding hinge elements 48 in any suitable manner. In an alternate 
embodiment of the present invention, other biasing means, such as a 
spring, may be substituted for the cable 54 of the preferred embodiment. 
One end of a limiting wire 58 is attached to the hinge element 48. The 
other end of limiting wire 58 is secured with a rivet 60 to the tube 50 of 
second section 26. The wire 58 thus limits the separation between the 
crutch sections 24, 30 as they are being pulled apart so as to allow 
exposure of only enough of the hinges to permit folding. It should be 
noted here that the hinges, the limiting wire and elastic strap are always 
isolated from the weight of the user. The only stress to which these 
elements are subjected is that of the weight of the lower part of the 
crutch itself and the actual elastic force created by the elastic cable 
54. 
The third bitubular section 30 consists of two tubes 62 that are parallel 
at the upper end of section 30, then converge inwardly before again 
becoming parallel, though closer together, near the bottom of section 30. 
Tubes 62, like tubes 34 of section 24, have a number of holes 36 that 
extend through tubes 62 sideways, as seen in FIG. 2. Tubes 62 and tubes 34 
are of the same diameter in the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention. At the lower end of section 30, a single tubular brace 66 is 
anchored between the tubes 62. Brace 66 is anchored by a pair of bolts 68 
which further assist in accomodating torsional forces and provide a rigid 
support for the tubes 62 of the third section 30. At the bottom end of 
brace 66 is a friction pod 32. 
FIG. 6 illustrates the means for attaching the hand grip 28 to the tubes 50 
of the second section 26. The grip 28 is a single piece with two holes 28a 
and a connecting slot 28b. The two holes 28a are of a configuration so 
that they maintain the tubes 50 in parallel alignment and prevent 
excessive twisting of the crutch when it is in its operational position. 
Two clamps 70a join opposing faces of the slot 28b to frictionally engage 
the tubes 50 so that a stable but infinitely adjustable grip is formed. 
Grip 28 provides still further anti-torquing means for those situations in 
which the crutch is twisted as well as a rigid support for the tubes 50. 
An overlay 70 of rubber or other pliable material is usually provided to 
increase the comfort and frictional handling characteristics of the grip. 
The elements of the present invention that actually support the weight of 
the user are the pins 38, the holes 36, and the tubes 50 of the second 
section 26. As seen in FIG. 7, pins 38 provide opposing support means on 
either end of the tubes 50 of the second section 26. Each tube 50 has 
small deformations 50a in both ends into which pins 38 fit snuggly. The 
use of pins 38 with deformations 50a again assists in providing torsional 
stability for the crutch in its operational position. Also, the load on a 
pin 38 is distributed over a larger area and thereby reduces tne bearing 
stresses on the tube 50 at the point of contact. This system is extremely 
reliable since there is always a minimum force from the bias of the 
elastic strap 54 on each pin 38 to keep it in place. Unlike the crutches 
of earlier patents, this device requires no locking mechanism for it to 
remain in either a collapsed or operational configuration. A large rubber 
band or clip of some kind may be used to hold the crutch in its collapsed 
position once it is folded and is to be stored. 
The crutch 20 in FIG. 1 may also be easily, quickly and reliably adjusted 
by the user. When crutch 20 is in its collapsed position, as seen in FIG. 
8, pins 38 may be removed and inserted in different holes 36 in tubes 34 
and tubes 62. First, the pins 38 in section 24 are adjusted to set the 
proper distance from the user's underarm to hand, generally leaving about 
two inches clearance between the arm rest 22 and the user's underarm. The 
pins 38 in third section 30 are then adjusted to ensure correct overall 
length of the crutch for a given user. The hand grip 28 can also be 
continuously adjusted to ensure maximum comfort for the user. Unlike some 
other collapsible crutches disclosed, the present invention can be 
adjusted by the user, typically a disabled individual, without the 
assistance of another person or a great deal of force or strength. This 
permits the individual to function more independently. 
A disabled individual can also fold and unfold the crutch 20 without any 
assistance. When the crutch 20 is in its operational configuration as seen 
in FIG. 1, folding is accomplished by grasping the first section 24 and 
second section 26 and pulling them away from each other. Once the hinge 
brackets 44 are generally clear of the tubes 50, the first section 24 is 
folded over the second section 26 in one direction. The third section 30 
is folded in the opposite direction in a similar fashion to accomplish the 
complete folding of the crutch. The resulting collapsed position is 
illustrated in FIG. 8. 
When the user desires to open the crutch 20 to its operational position as 
seen in FIG. 1, he or she merely pivots the first section 24 and third 
section 30 into general alignment with the second section 26. The mobile 
elements 40 have beveled surfaces 72 to help guide the elements 40 back 
into their respective tubes. An alternative method for opening the 
collapsed crutch 20 is to grasp the arm rest 22 and let the sections fall 
toward the ground and thus into general coaxial alignment with each other 
at which point the sections will automatically telescope together under 
the biasing force of the elastic cable 54. 
As can be appreciated from the above discussion, a disabled individual can 
easily adjust, fold and unfold the crutch 20 of the present invention or 
any other similarly constructed device without assistance from another 
person. Variations, modifications and other applications will become 
apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, a prestressed unitary 
hinge may be substituted for the hinge configuration of the preferred 
embodiment. Therefore, the above description of the preferred embodiment 
is to be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. The scope of 
the present invention is limited only by the scope of the claims that 
follow.