A LIFTING AND WALKING AID FOR SICK PEOPLE

Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting and walking aid for sick people comprising a framework (1) constituted by a lower horizontal frame (2a-2c) provided with small casters (9), an upper horizontal frame (2d-2f) provided with lifting means, and a vertical frame (2g-2n), secured to both said upper and lower frames (2a-2c) and (2d-2f), wherein said framework (1) comrpises a plurality of substantially rectilinear tubular members (2a-2y) and in that said tubular members are connected to each other so as to allow for a quick disassembling of said framework (1).

Description: "A LIFTING AND WALKING AID FOR SICK PEOPLE" The present invention relates to a lifting and walking aid, i. e. device for consenting a patient to raise him/herself (e.g. from a bed) and walking about. Such a device is advantageous for lifting sick or invalid people from a supine position in a bed, as well as for holding up a weakened person when walking or a person undertaking a rehabilitation process. As it is well known sick people in the above mentioned conditions need the help of one or more assistants to be able to get on one's feet and walk about. Such lifting and walking operations are often accomplished under conditions of precarious balance with the risk of a fall or an overstrain potentially harmful both for the sick person and for the person assisting him. There are known walking aids for sick people and the like as well as devices adapted to lift a sick person from a bed and put him/her into an erect or sat position. With reference to the devices of the first type, also known as walkers, such conventional devices do not solve the problem of lifting the sick person and holding the same during the walking and therefore such known devices require the continuous presence of at least one assistant. On the other hand the lifting devices are generally bulky and heavy and do not solve the problem of helping the sick person to walk after he/she has been lifted from the bed. In past there have been proposed devices essentially constituted by a walker provided with harness and lifting means adapted to maintain the walking user in erect position. One of such devices is described in US 5 603 677. The device disclosed in the above mentioned US patent comprises a base member supported on small wheels, to which a vertical frame is fixed, the frame being provided with harness means for sustaining the user and with side bars on which the user can rests his/her hands when walking. Such a device is nevertheless bulky and as a further drawback does not allow to directly lift the person from the bed. A first object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device adapted for assisting a sick person in walking and further adapted to directly raise a sick person from a bed, even from a supine position. A second object of the present invention is to provide a lifting and walking aid for sick people that is compact, can be easily disassembled and transported. Another object of the present invention is to provide a lifting and walking aid for sick people that can be used on uneven ground without prejudice of its compactness and disassembling and transport capabilities. The above and other objects of the present invention are accomplished through a lifting and walking aid for sick people as claimed in claim 1. Additional advantageous features are recited in the dependent claims Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become evident from the following description of an exemplary embodiment of a lifting and walking aid for sick people illustrated hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a lifting and walking aid according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1 equipped with a seat. With reference to Figures 1 to 3, a device according to the invention comprises a framework 1 realized by releasably assembling together a plurality of tubular members 2a-2y, such members being connected and secured to one another by fastening means consisting of spring-biased pegs 6a, located at the male ends of the tubular members, and holes 6b provided at the female ends of the tubular members and adapted to receive the above mentioned spring- biased pegs. More precisely, the framework 1 includes a lower horizontal frame 2a-2c, an upper horizontal frame 2d-2f and a vertical frame 2g-2n secured to both the horizontal frames 2a-2c and 2d-2f. The lower frame 2a-2c comprises a pair of parallel tubular side members 2a, 2b joined by a tubular transverse member 2c with the ends folded at 90° and defining the front portion of the lower frame 2a-2c. The transverse member 2c is connected to the members 2a, 2b through two short pipe sections 5a, 5b, each being telescopically inserted into the front end of each tubular side member 2a, 2b and coupled to the folded ends of member 2c. Advantageously, the pipe sections 5a, 5b together with a plurality of holes 6b provided at the female or receiving ends of members 2a and 2b, allow for adjusting the position of the front portion of the lower frame 2a-2c, through the engagement of the spring-biased pegs 6a in pipe sections 5a, 5b with such holes. The lower frame 2a-2c is further provided with four small swivel wheels or casters 9, with a pair of wheels being fastened to the sections 5a, 5b and the other pair being fastened to those ends of members 2a, 2b that are far from the pipe sections 5a, 5b. By providing a pair of swivel wheels 9 on the telescopic members 5a, 5b, the length of the surface of the device can be advantageously changed to properly meet the conditions of use. Tubular members 2a, 2b and pipe sections 5a, 5b further include short sleeve portions for receiving the ends of U-shaped subframes, respectively subframes 2r-2t and 2u-2z forming two side handrails, and of a transversely extending subframe 2o-2q forming a front handrail, on which the sick person can lean. Two additional U-shaped frames 2x and 2y are transversely fixed with their ends to both tubular members 2a, 2b and form a support for a seat 12 (Fig. 3) on which the sick person can seat when the device is not used for walking. The seat 12 is preferably a removable seat and comprises a backrest 12a and a leg-rest 12b that are hinged to the seat body, and their positions are adjustable for a better comfort of the patient. Both side handrails 2r-2t, 2u-2z and the front handrail 2o-2q can be disassembled since each of them comprises three tubular sections that are joined one another by fastening means formed by spring-biased pegs 6a, provided at the male end of said tubular sections, and engaging corresponding holes 6b, provided on the female end of the tubular sections. Handrails 2r-2t, 2u-2z and 2o-2q are secured to joints or coupling members provided on the lower frame 2a-2c through spring-biased pegs 6a engaging a plurality of holes 6b for adjusting the height of the side handrails 2r-2t, 2u-2z and of the front handrail 2o-2q. On the rear portion of the frame 2a-2c the members 2a, 2b are provided with a pair of joints or coupling members provided with spring-biased pegs 6a adapted to engage holes 6b on the vertical frame 2g-2n for securing the vertical frame 2g-2n to the frame 2a-2c. The vertical frame 2g-2n comprises a pair of lower tubular members 2g, 2h, a pair of upper tubular members 2i, 21 joined to the members 2g, 2h, and two crossbars 2m, 2n the ends of which are inserted into two pairs of sockets 3 welded to the members 2g, 2h and 2i, 21. A pair of tension wires or rods 7 for reinforcing the connection between the vertical frame 2g-2n and the base frame 2a-2c are secured with one end to a pair of eyelets 4 on the tubular members 2i, 21 and with the other ends to a pair of eyelets 8 fixed to the rear end of the tubular members 2a, 2b. The upper horizontal frame 2d-2f includes a pair of side tubular members 2d, 2e each having a folded end to be fitted into the open end of the tubular members 2i, 21 of the vertical frame 2g-2n. Near their front ends the tubular members 2d, 2e are provided with a pair of joints or coupling members for fitting a transverse tubular member 2f. For assembling the device according to the invention, the tubular members 2a-2y forming the framework 1 are joined together and then the adjustable tubular members are positioned at the desired positions. For an easier fitting of the vertical upper frame portions formed by the members 2i, 21, 2n onto the portion of the lower vertical frame formed by the members 2g, 2h, 2m, the tubular members 2g and 2h and the members 2i and 21 have different lengths. At the center of the tubular member 2f there is further provided a ring 10 to which a hoist or other lifting means is secured for lifting and sustaining the sick person through a suitable strap or harness. Such lifting means can be either electrically or manually or otherwise operated and is not illustrated since it is known in the art. Each of the folded ends of the side tubular members 2d, 2e in the upper frame 2d-2f, is folded at an angle lower than 90°, preferably of 80°, whereby the front portion of the upper horizontal frame 2d-2f is slightly raised to ensure room enough for the operation of the lifting means in spite of the lowering of the upper horizontal frame 2d-2f caused by the weight of the sick person. Thanks to the possibility of a quick removal of the handrails 2r-2t, 2u-2z and 2o-2q as well as of the two U- shaped frames 2x and 2y, the base frame 2a-2c can be easily slid under the bed on which the patient lies. Consequently, the front portion of the upper frame 2d- 2f to which the ring 10 for lifting the patient is fixed can be precisely positioned above the sick person to be lifted. Moreover since the framework 1 can be completely disassembled in a number of substantially rectilinear tubular members, the device of the invention can be further advantageously carried in a small size container such as a bag. With reference now to Figure 1, the transverse tubular member 2c can be replaced by a member 2c' equipped with a pair of properly shaped and sized swivel wheels or casters 13 for using the device over irregular surfaces. Moreover, a transverse member 2c" provided with a pair of wheels 14 properly sized for the movement over irregular surfaces can be fitted into the back ends of the tubular members 2a and 2b. D The tubular member 2c" and the back ends of the tubular members 2a and 2b are joined together by means of spring-biased pegs 6a provided on a pair of joints or coupling members 15 welded to the tubular member 2c" and engaging corresponding holes 6b on the back ends of tubular members 2a and 2b. By providing transverse members 2c' and 2c" equipped with properly sized wheels 13, 14 the lower frame can be positioned at a height from the ground allowing the use of the device over surfaces that are not perfectly smooth.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A lifting and walking aid for sick people comprising a framework (1) constituted by a lower horizontal frame (2a-2c) provided with casters (9) , an upper horizontal frame (2d-2f) provided with lifting means, and a vertical frame (2g-2n) , secured to both said upper (2a-2c) and lower frames (2d-2f) , characterized in that said framework (1) comprises a plurality of substantially rectilinear tubular members (2a-2y) and in that said tubular members are connected to each other so as to allow for a quick disassembling of said framework (1) . 2. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular members (2a-2y) are connected to each other by means of joints comprising male and female portions, and wherein said joints are connected to each other by means of spring-biased pegs (6a) provided on said male portions and adapted to engage corresponding holes (6b) provided on said female portions. 3. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said lower horizontal frame (2a-2c) comprises a pair of parallel side tubular members (2a, 2b) and a transverse tubular member (2c) the ends of which are folded at 90°, and defining the front portion of said lower frame (2a-2c) , said transverse member being connected to said side members through intermediate telescopic sections (5a, 5b) each of which is provided with a small swivel wheel or caster (9) . 4. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claim 3, wherein three U-shaped frames (2r-2t, 2u-2z, 2o-2q) are secured to said lower frame (2a-2c) to define a pair of side handrail and a front handrail to which the sick person can lean when walking. 5. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claim 3, wherein said lower frame (2a-2c) comprises two U-shaped frames (2x, 2y) on which a detachable seat (12) is secured. 6. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claims 4 and 5, wherein said U-shaped frames are removably fitted to corresponding tubular joints provided on said lower frame (2a-2c) . 7. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claim 6, wherein the height of said U-shaped frames from said lower frame (2a-2c) is adjustable by means of a plurality of holes (6b) on the end of said U-shaped frames fitted to said joints, said holes being adapted to engage corresponding spring-biased pegs (6a) on said joints. 8. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein said seat (12) comprises a back rest (12a) and a leg-rest (12b), both being adjustable for comfortably receiving the sick person. 9. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in any of claims 3 to 8, wherein said transverse member (2c, 2c') is provided with a pair of swivel wheels or casters (13), and wherein a transverse member (2c") provided with a pair of wheels (14) is fitted to the ends of said side parallels tubular members (2a, 2b) , said last mentioned wheels being larger than said swivel wheels or casters (9) . 10. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said vertical frame (2g-2n) comprises a pair of lower tubular members (2g, 2h) and a pair of upper tubular member (2i, 21), with said upper members being fitted to said lower members (2g, 2h) , and two crossbars (2m, 2n) to be fitted within two pairs of sockets (3) fixed to said lower and upper tubular members. 11. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a pair of tension wires or rods (7) is provided between said vertical frame (2g-2n) and said lower horizontal frame (2a-2c) , said tension wires or rods (7) being fixed to the upper tubular members (2i, 21) of said vertical frame (2g-2n) and to the back end of the tubular members (2a, 2b) of said frame (2a-2c) to reinforce the joining between said vertical frame (2g-2n) and said base frame (2a-2c) . 12. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said upper horizontal frame (2d- 2f) comprises a pair of parallel side tubular members (2d, 2e) , the ends of which are folded for joining said upper frame to said side frame, and a transverse tubular member (2f) provided of means for the lifting and/or supporting the sick person. 13. A lifting and walking aid as claimed in claim 12, wherein the folded ends of said parallel side tubular members (2d, 2e) are folded at an angle lower than 90° so that the front portion of said upper horizontal frame (2d- 2f) is slightly raised.

Inventors: DELLAPIANA BIANCA, DELLAPIANA, BIANCA
Applicants: DELLAPIANA BIANCA, MOLLO PIERO, DELLAPIANA, BIANCA, MOLLO, PIERO
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A61H3
IPC codes: A61G7, A61H3