Abstract:
A set of ergonomic handgrips and arm pads make the use of crutches or other walking assist devices more comfortable and less likely to cause repetitive stress injuries. A metacarpal protrusion of the each handgrip is angled outward at about 5 to 25 degrees from front to back when installed to place the user&#39;s wrists at a more ergonomic angle (approximately 15 degrees inward rotation). The metacarpal protrusion produces a substantially flat surface with a downward slope. Each handgrip spreads the load out over the hand of the user eliminating pressure. The handgrips can be fitted on crutches, a walker, a cane, or another walking assist device. The arm pad has a pair of protrusions that produce a recess on the side facing away from a user&#39;s chest which engages a user&#39;s arm and keeps the crutch top positioned correctly while the crutch is in use by the user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of the following patent application which is hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/555,775, filed Nov. 4, 2011. 
     
    
       [0002]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This invention relates to an apparatus which provides for improved crutches and canes by providing ergonomic handgrips and arm pads therefor. 
         [0006]    Millions of people each year are directed by doctors to use crutches temporarily while they heal from an injury. A standard set of aluminum crutches has an arm pad and a handgrip on each crutch. The handgrip forces the user&#39;s wrists to be at an unnatural angle, while the padding is not sufficient and creates pressure points in the hands which can be uncomfortable. Similarly, the armpit pad produces pressure points that cause the crutches to be uncomfortable. Further, prolonged use of such crutches can lead to repetitive stress injuries. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one aspect of the invention, a set of ergonomic handgrips and arm pads make the use of crutches or other walking assist devices more comfortable. The handgrips may be constructed of a rigid plastic insert and soft rubber outer skin. They may be angled outward at about 15 degrees (5 to 25 degree range) from front to back when installed to place the user&#39;s wrist at a more ergonomic angle (approximately 15 degrees inward rotation). The unique profile of the handgrip spreads the load out over the hand of the user, eliminating pressure points and making the handgrip much more comfortable to use and less likely to cause repetitive stress injuries during prolonged use. The handgrips can be retrofitted to a standard set of aluminum 2-pole crutches, to a walker, to a cane, or to another walking assist device. The contoured arm pad may be constructed of flexible polyurethane foam with a soft upholstered cover. The arm pad may include a pair of protrusions that produce a recess on one side (i.e., a side facing away from a user&#39;s chest) to engage a user&#39;s arm and keep the crutch top positioned correctly while the crutch is in use. 
         [0008]    In one aspect of the invention, a handgrip is operable to mount on a walking assist device. The handgrip has a front end corresponding to a lateral side of the hand of a user of the handgrip, a back end corresponding to a medial side of the hand of the user, a topside corresponding generally to a palm side of the hand of the user, a bottom side corresponding generally to a distal phalanges portion of the hand of the user, an outside corresponding to a proximal and intermediate phalanges portion of the hand of the user, an inside corresponding to a palm of the hand of the user, and a longitudinal axis. The handgrip may include a substantially rigid core having a metacarpal protrusion operable to support the metacarpals of the hand of the user. The metacarpal protrusion extends toward the outside from the longitudinal axis at an angle between 5 and 25 degrees from the front and to the back end of the handgrip. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention, an arm pad is operable to mount to a top of a crutch. The arm pad has a bottom facing generally downward when in use by a user, a top facing generally upward when in use by the user, an inside facing a chest of the user when in use by the user, an outside facing an arm of a user when in use by the user, a front generally facing the same direction as the front of the user when in use by the user, and a back generally facing the same direction as the back of the user when in use by the user. The arm pad includes a main block, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The main block is operable to mount at the top of the crutch. The first protrusion may be integral with the main block, and extends outwardly from an outside surface of the main block adjacent the front of the arm pad. The second protrusion may be integral with the main block and extends outward from the outside surface of the main block adjacent the back of the arm pad. A recess is formed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion and is operable to receive an arm of the user when the arm pad is in use by the user. 
         [0010]    In another aspect of the invention, a crutch is operable to support a user during ambulatory movement (i.e., to aid a user in walking). The crutch includes a first crutch pole, a second crutch pole, and arcuate top support, and a handgrip. The arcuate top support extends between and beyond a top of the first crutch pole, and a top of the second crutch pole. The handgrip has a front end corresponding to a lateral side of the hand of a user of the handgrip, a back end corresponding to a medial side of the hand of the user, a topside corresponding generally to a palm side of the hand of the user, a bottom side corresponding generally to a distal phalanges portion of the hand of the user, and outside corresponding to a proximal and intermediate phalanges portion of the hand of the user, an inside corresponding to a palm of the hand of the user, and a longitudinal axis. The handgrip may include a substantially rigid core having a metacarpal protrusion operable to support the metacarpals of the hand of the user. The metacarpal protrusion extends toward the outside from the longitudinal axis at an angle between 5 and 25 degrees from the front and to the backend of the handgrip. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a standard  2  pole aluminum crutch known in the prior art. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a user using a left crutch. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of a right handgrip. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of a right handgrip mounted on a crutch. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of a left handgrip mounted on a crutch. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6A  is a rear, top, inside isometric view of a right handgrip. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6B  is a rear, top, outside isometric view of a right handgrip. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6C  is a front, top, outside isometric view of a right handgrip. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6D  is a front, top, inside isometric view of a right handgrip. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of an arm pad. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a perspective isometric view of an arm pad. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a depressed perspective cutaway view of an arm pad. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention. 
         [0024]    To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms are defined below. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims. 
         [0025]    Although described herein in the context of handgrips for a standard aluminum crutch, it is contemplated within the scope of the claims that the handgrips may be applied to other walking (i.e., ambulatory movement) assist devices such as canes and walkers. Further, as used herein, “walking” refers to hobbling, limping, shuffling, or any other type of ambulatory movement, and “walking assist devices” refers to devices designed to aid in such movement including, but not limited to crutches, canes, and walkers. 
         [0026]    Referring to prior art  FIG. 1 , a standard aluminum  2  pole crutch  1100  is shown without an arm pad and a handgrip. The crutch  1100  includes a first crutch pole  1102  and a second crutch pole  1104 . An arcuate top support  1106  extends between a top of the first crutch pole  1102  and a top of the second crutch pole  1104  and beyond the first and second crutch poles  1102 ,  1104 . Prior art arm pads simply encase the top, inside, and outside of the arcuate top support  1106  with a predetermined, constant thickness of padding (e.g., rubber, neoprene, foam, etc.). Prior art handgrips are substantially or completely tubular, although they may have a slight bulge in the middle and are covered with a constant thickness of padding. When a user places the user&#39;s weight on a prior art tubular handgrip, a pressure point is thus created at the heel of the hand of the user. Further, because the arm pad is merely concave in the vertical direction, the user must squeeze the arm pad into the user&#39;s armpit to keep the crutch  1100  in place while supporting the user&#39;s weight on the handgrip and while moving the crutch  1100  while walking. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a user is using a crutch  100  to aid in ambulatory movement (i.e., to support the user while the user is walking). The crutch  100  is a standard  2  pole aluminum crutch including an arm pad  200  at a top of the crutch  100 , and a handgrip  300  near the middle of the crutch  100 . The arm pad  200  fits between the chest and arm of the user, and the user holds the handgrip  300  and the user&#39;s hand. The arm pad  200  maintains the crutch in alignment with the arm, while the user places his weight on the handgrip  300 , and maintains the top of the crutch  100  in position while repositioning the crutch  100  while walking. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the handgrip  300  is mounted on a standard 2 pole aluminum crutch between a first crutch pole  102  and a second crutch pole  104  (i.e., mounted on a walking assist device). The handgrip  300  has a longitudinal axis  302  extending along a line between the first crutch pole  102  and the second crutch pole  104  in this embodiment. When in use by the user, the handgrip  300  has a predetermined orientation. The handgrip  300  has a front end  304  corresponding to a lateral side of the hand of the user and generally adjacent the first crutch pole  102  in this embodiment. The handgrip  300  has a back end  306  corresponding to a medial side of the hand of the user and generally adjacent the second crutch pole  104  in this embodiment. An outside  308  of the handgrip  300  corresponds generally to the proximal and intermediate phalanges portion of the hand of the user. An inside  310  of the handgrip  300  corresponds generally to a thumb of the hand of the user. Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a top side  314  of the handgrip  300  corresponds generally to a palm of the hand of the user. A bottom side  312  of the handgrip  300  corresponds generally to a distal phalanges portion of the hand of the user. Left hand and right hand handgrips  300  are the same, but because of the difference in spatial relationship between the front and the outside, they are essentially mirror images of one another (i.e., a metacarpal protrusion  402  extends to the outside which is inverted between right and left hand handgrips with respect to the front). 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 A,  6 B,  6 C, and  6 D, the handgrip  300  includes a metacarpal protrusion  402  which supports metacarpals of the hand of the user when in use by the user. The metacarpal protrusion  402  extends toward the outside  308  from the longitudinal axis  302  at an angle between about 5 and 25 degrees from the front end  304  to the back and  306  of the handgrip  300  (see particularly  FIG. 3 ). In an optional embodiment, the metacarpal protrusion  402  extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis  302  at an angle of approximately 15 degrees. In a further optional embodiment, the handgrip  300  includes a generally tubular center section  320 . The tubular center section  320  has a center line  322  at an angle between about 5 and 25 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis  302  of the handgrip  300  toward the inside  310  from the back end  306  to the front end  304 . Additionally, the centerline  322  may have an angle of about 15 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis  302 . The generally tubular center section  320  and the metacarpal protrusion  402  cooperate to maintain the wrist of the user at an inward angle of approximately  15  degrees and eliminate pressure points when the handgrip  300  is in use by the user. In one embodiment, the metacarpal protrusion  402  is substantially flattened section designed to spread the load of the user across the entire palm of the user instead of directly onto the heel of the hand of the user. The metacarpal protrusion  402  slopes downward from the generally tubular center section  320  at about 5 to 25 degrees (about 15 degrees in one embodiment) to further reduce stress on the wrist of the user. In one embodiment, the generally tubular center section  320  includes an indentation  330  at the front end  304  of the handgrip  300  having a contour generally conforming to an angle of the thumb of the hand of the user. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B,  6 C, and  6 D the handgrip  300  includes or may be formed of substantially rigid core  602  at least partially covered by a resilient material  604 . The resilient material  604  contacts the hand of the user when the handgrip  300  is in use by the user (i.e., held by the user). In one embodiment, a substantially rigid core  602  is a rigid plastic or polyurethane and the resilient material is rubber, synthetic rubber, or a fabric such as neoprene which may be lined with spandex. In one embodiment, the handgrip  300  includes a central bore  608  substantially parallel to longitudinal axis  302 . The central bore  608  is operable to receive a mounting element of the walking assist device (e.g., crutch  100 ). In one embodiment, the mounting element of the walking assist device is a mounting bolt of the crutch  100 . The mounting bolt passes through the first crutch pole  102 , through the central bore  608  of the handgrip  300 , and through the second crutch pole  104  to affix the handgrip  300  to the crutch  100 . In one embodiment, the handgrip  300  includes a first crutch pole recess  612  and a second crutch pole recess  610 . The first crutch pole recess  612  is operable to engage the first crutch pole  102 , and the second crutch pole recess  610  is operable to engage the second crutch pole  104 . The first and second crutch pole recesses  612 ,  610  maintain the handgrip  300  in an upright position with respect to the first and second crutch polls  102 ,  104 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9 , the arm pad  200  includes a main block  702 , a first protrusion  704 , and a second protrusion  706 . The arm pad  200  is operable to mount at the top of the crutch  100 . When mounted on the crutch  100  and in use by a user, the arm pad  200  has a predetermined orientation. A top  710  of the arm pad  200  generally faces upward. A bottom  712  of the arm pad  200  generally faces downward. An inside  714  of the arm pad  200  faces a chest of the user. An outside  716  of the arm pad  200  faces an arm of the user. A front  718  of the arm pad  200  generally faces the same direction as a front of the user (i.e., the direction of movement of the user when walking forward). A back  720  of the arm pad  200  generally faces the same direction as a back of the user (i.e., the opposite direction of a direction of movement when the user is walking forward). 
         [0032]    The main block  702  is operable to mount to the top  106  of the crutch  100 . The first protrusion  704  is integral with the main block  702  and extends outwardly from the outside  716  of the main block  702  adjacent the front  718  of the arm pad  200 . The second protrusion  706  is integral with the main block  702  and extends outwardly from the outside  716  of the main block  702  adjacent the rear  720  of the arm pad  200 . First protrusion  704  and second protrusion  706  form a recess  722  operable to receive an arm of the user when the arm pad  200  is used by the user. The first and second protrusions  704 ,  706  generally extend vertically from the top to the bottom of the arm pad  200 . The first protrusion  704  and second protrusion  706  cooperate to retain the arm of the user within the recess  722  and maintain the crutch  100  in the proper position while the user is using the crutch  100  to aid in walking (i.e., any type of ambulatory movement). In one embodiment, the main block  702  extends generally equidistant from the inside and outside of the crutch  100  while the first and second protrusions  704 ,  706  extend outwardly such that the arm pad  200  extends further outwardly than inwardly. In one embodiment, an inside  714  of the main block  702  is substantially flat, a top  710  of the main block  702  is substantially flat, and at least one edge  740  (e.g., a top edge  740 ) of the main block  702  is rounded. In one embodiment, the arm pad  200  is formed of polyurethane foam and covered with a relatively soft material on at least the inside  714 , top  710 , and outside  716 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the main block  702  of the arm pad  200  also includes a mounting recess  902 . The mounting recess  902  is operable to receive the arcuate top support  106  of the crutch  100  (see  FIG. 2 ). The main block  702  the arm pad  200  also includes a first lip  904 , and a second lip  906 . The first lip  904  is operable to extend under a portion of the arcuate top support  106  extend to be on the first crutch pole  102 . The first lip  904  retains the arcuate top support  106  in the mounting recess  902  when the arcuate top support  106  is received in the mounting recess  902 . The second lip  906  is operable to extend under a portion of the arcuate top support  106  extending beyond the second crutch pole  104 . The second lip  906  retains the arcuate top support  106  in the mounting recess  902  when the arcuate top support  106  is received in the mounting recess  902 . 
         [0034]    In one embodiment, a cane has a handgrip  300 . The handgrip  300  is mounted to a handle of the cane such that the handgrip  300  does not rotate, and the metacarpal protrusion  402  extends laterally from the handle of the cane when the cane is in an upright position. Similarly, in one embodiment, a walker has a pair of handgrips  300  (i.e., a right handgrip  300  and a left handgrip  300 ). The handgrips  300  are mounted to the walker such that the handgrips  300  do not rotate, and the metacarpal protrusions  402  extend laterally from the walker when the walker is in an upright position. 
         [0035]    In one embodiment, the handgrip  300  is secured to the first and second crutch poles  102 ,  104  by pins extending from the handgrip  300  along the longitudinal axis  302 . In another embodiment, the handgrip  300  is secured to the crutch poles  102 ,  104  by clips generally aligned with the longitudinal axis  302 . 
         [0036]    This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. 
         [0037]    It will be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention may be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims. 
         [0038]    All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein may be made and/or executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of the embodiments included herein, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0039]    Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful ERGONOMIC CRUTCH GRIPS, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.