Abstract:
A mobility aiding device, such as a walker, a wheelchair, a transport chair, a shower seat or a rollator, are used in providing support to injured or ailing persons during activity or movement. A solid two-piece seating platform is provided with a structural support for distributing the weight of the user to the frame. Furthermore, the two pieces of the seating platform are inter-hinged, enabling the entire device to fold up into a storage position. A lock is provided for maintaining the structural support in place, and a handle is provided for facilitating folding the device into the storage position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application does not claim priority. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to a mobility aiding device, and in particular to a wheelchair, a walker, a transport chair, a shower seat or a rollator with a solid seat, which is hinged in the middle to enable the device to be easily folded into a storage position. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A large, aging, urban population has created a demand for various mobility aiding devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers, transport chairs, shower seats and rollators, which facilitate actions and movements in their daily lives without requiring additional assistance, to ensure a certain degree of independence. Walkers, transport chairs, shower seats and rollators (walkers with wheels) have become more popular than wheelchairs, crutches or canes as mobility aids for people with sore legs, hips or backs, because of their added structural support and their versatility. Present day rollators, such as the one disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0079663 filed Jul. 18, 2001 in the name of Hallgrimsson et al, come complete with brakes, a seat and a storage basket. Another feature highly sought after in mobility aids is their ability to fold up into a storage position for travel or simply to save space when not in use. Conventional wheel chairs have long since disclosed the ability to fold two sides of a frame into a storage position; however these devices have always had a flexible or hammock seat. Hard platforms are now desired to provide more comfortable seating and a useable supporting surface for other items. Complicated, one piece seats have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,371,183; 4,493,488; and 5,605,345. Unfortunately, these devices require a great deal of manual dexterity and strength to open and close. Accordingly, two-piece seats have been developed, such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,432 issued Sep. 13, 1988 in the name of Kenneth Wagner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,222 issued Sep. 14, 1993 to Robert Benoit; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,475 issued Oct. 24, 2000 to Richard Brown et al. These devices either require extra support panels that must be accessed from below the seat, as in the Wagner device, or rely on an extra wide abutting surfaces between the pivoting seat panels, as in the Benoit and Brown et al devices. Unfortunately, the extra wide abutting surfaces do not always provide sufficient strength for long term use. Moreover, the abutting surfaces can pinch body parts or items therebetween causing damage or pain. 
   An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a mobility aid, such as a wheelchair, transport chair, walker, shower seat or rollator, with a solid seating platform made up or two pivotally connected sections, with structural reinforcements, that fold up easily into a storage position. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention relates to a mobility aiding device adjustable between a use and a storage position comprising: 
   a first frame member having a pair of ground engaging means at a lower end thereof; 
   a second frame member having a pair of ground engaging means at a lower end thereof; 
   a first support pivotally connected to the first frame member; 
   a second support pivotally connected to the second frame member and pivotally connected to the first support, the first and second supports for supporting a weight above the ground in the use position; 
   hinge means pivotally connecting the first support to the second support enabling the first and second supports to pivot towards each other into the storage position; and 
   tension rod means for distributing the weight between the first and second supports, said tension rod means being adjustable between an extended position in which said tension rod structurally interconnects said first and second supports, when the device is in the use position, and a released position enabling the device to be adjusted to the storage position. 
   Another aspect of the present invention relates to a mobility aiding device adjustable between a use and a storage position comprising: 
   a first frame member having a pair of ground engaging means at a lower end thereof; 
   a second frame member having a pair of ground engaging means at a lower end thereof; 
   a first support pivotally connected to the first frame member; 
   a second support pivotally connected to the second frame member and pivotally connected to the first support, the first and second supports for supporting a weight above the ground in the use position; 
   first hinge means pivotally connecting upper portions of the first and second supports enabling the first and second supports to pivot towards each other into the storage position, while preventing any pinching action of the first and second supports during entry into the use position; 
   first and second link means pivotally connected to lower portions of the first and second supports, respectively, for distributing the weight to the first and second frame members, while in the use position; and 
   second hinge means pivotally connecting the first and second link means, the second hinge means disposed parallel to the first hinge means, enabling the first and second link means to pivot towards each into the storage position. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent preferred embodiments thereof, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the rollator according to the present invention in a use position; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the rollator of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the rollator of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the rollator of  FIG. 1  in the storage position; 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the chassis of the rollator of  FIGS. 1 to 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of the chassis of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an end view of the chassis of  FIGS. 5 and 6  looking up from below the seating platform; 
       FIG. 8  is an end view of the chassis of  FIGS. 5 to 7  in a partially collapsed position; and 
       FIG. 9  is an end view of the chassis of the rollator of  FIGS. 5 to 8  in the storage position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the rollator according to the present invention includes a chassis, generally indicated at  1 , with handles  2  and  3  extending upwardly therefrom for grasping by the user, and with front and rear wheels  4  and  5 , respectively, extending downwardly therefrom for engaging the ground. The chassis  1  includes a right side frame  6  and a left side frame  7 . 
   The right side frame  6  is comprised of an upright  8   a , an L-shaped bar  9   a  and a cross bar  11   a  extending therebetween. Similarly, the left side frame  7  is comprised on an upright  8   b , an L-shaped bar  9   b  and a cross bar  11   b . A seating structure  10  extends between the right side frame  6  and the left side frame  7 . The chassis  1  is preferably made up of a lightweight high-strength material, such as aluminum. 
   Handles  2  and  3  are mounted on the ends of uptight  8   a  and  8   b , respectively, and include a mounting bracket  16   a  and  16   b , a hand grip  17   a  and  17   b , and a brake lever  18   a  and  18   b , respectively. Each brake lever  18   a  and  18   b  is connected to a brake linkage (not shown) extending down through the uprights  8   a  and  8   b  to pivoting brake pads  19   a  and  19   b  mounted proximate rear wheels  5 . As disclosed in Published U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/50697, which is incorporated herein by reference, upward actuation on the brake levers  18   a  and  18   b  results in a temporary braking action, while downward actuation of the braking levers  18   a  and  18   b  results in a parking brake action. A backrest strap  20  extends from the mounting bracket  16   a  to the mounting bracket  16   b  providing back support for an individual seated on the seating structure  10  and facing rearwardly. Also as disclosed in the aforementioned United States Patent Application, the backrest strap  20  is pivotally mounted to the mounting brackets  16   a  and  16   b  enabling the position of the backrest strap  20  to be reversed providing back support for a seated individual facing frontwardly. 
   Rear wheel brackets  21   a  and  21   b  are mounted on the lower ends of the uprights  8   a  and  8   b , respectively, for rotatably supporting the rear wheels  5  and the brake pads  19   a  and  19   b . Front wheel brackets  22   a  and  22   b  are mounted on the lower end of the L-shaped bars  9   a  and  9   b , respectively, for rotatably supporting the front wheels  4 . If the present invention were to be used with a walker or shower seat, the front and rear wheels  4  and  5  could be replaced by end caps made or rubber or some other non-slip material. Moreover, if the present invention were to be used in a wheelchair, the rear wheels  5  would be replaced with larger wheels enabling manual rotation by the seated individual, as is well known in the art. In a transport chair, the backrest strap  20  would be replaced by a solid back rest. 
     FIGS. 1 to 3  illustrate the rollator in the use position, while  FIG. 4  illustrates the storage position. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 5 to 9 , the seating structure  10  includes a right side support  31  rotatably mounted on the L-shaped bar  9   a , and a left side support  32  rotatably mounted on the L-shaped bar  9   b . The right side and left side supports  31  and  32  are pivotally interconnected by a hinge  33  extending along the top surface of the right side and left side supports  31  and  32 , and a hinged link, in the form of a tension-rod plate  36 , pivotally interconnecting the bottom surfaces of the right and left side supports  31  and  32 . Positioning the hinge  33  on the top surfaces of the right and left side supports  31  and  32  prevents the ride and left side supports  31  and  32  from pinching anyone or anything, while the seating structure  10  is rotated into the use position. Additional support for the seating structure  10  is provided by a first cross brace  37  extending from the bottom surface of the right side support platform  31  to a first finger bracket  38  fixed to the cross bar  11   b , and a second cross brace  39  extending from the bottom surface of the left side support platform  32  to a second finger bracket  40  fixed to the cross bar  11   a . Both ends of the first and second cross braces  37  and  39  are pivotally connected to their respective mounting points. 
   The right side support  31  includes a sleeve  42   a  surrounding the horizontal portion of the L-shaped bar  9   a , and a pair of J-shaped arms  43   a  extending therefrom for supporting a flat seating platform  44   a . Similarly, the left side support  32  includes a sleeve  42   b  surrounding the horizontal portion of the L-shaped bar  9   b , and pair of J-shaped arms  43   b  extending therefrom for supporting a flat seating platform  44   b . A foam seat cover is placed over the flat seating platforms  44   a  and  44   b  covering the hinge  33 . The seat cover can be made from two separate pieces  46   a  and  46   b  or from a single piece of foam-like material with a particularly flexible section covering the hinge  33 . The flexible section could include several grooves extending thereacross to provide the required flexibility. Since the seat cover pieces  45   a  and  46   b  are made of foam, any accidental pinching therebetween will not result in any pain. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 7 , the tension-rod plate  36  is comprised of a first solid link  51  pivotally connected to the bottom surfaces of J-shaped arms  43   a , and a second solid link  52  pivotally connected to the bottom surfaces of J-shaped arms  43   b . The first and second solid links  51  and  52  are pivotally interconnected by a hinge  53 , which is positioned directly below the first hinge  33  and parallel thereto. 
   Force-transmitting webs or struts  56  and  57  extend diagonally downward from either side of the hinge  33  to proximate the ends of the first and second solid links  51  and  52 , respectively, for transferring the force generated by an individual or an item sitting on the flat seating platforms  44   a  and  44   b  to the arms  43   a  and  43   b  and to the cross braces  37  and  39 . In use, the tension-rod plate  36  is placed in tension by the aforementioned force and holds the bottom surfaces of the right and left side supports  31  and  32  together, while the hinge  33  keeps the upper surfaces together. A locking feature  61  holds the first and second solid links  51  and  52  in the extended position, shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7 , and prevents the first and second solid links  51  and  52  from folding downwardly causing unwanted collapse of the seat  46  during movement over uneven ground. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking feature  61  comprises a spring clip extending from the first solid link  51  and the force transmitting strut  56 ; however, other locking features are possible including a specially designed hinge, which prevents rotation past the fully opened position (illustrated in  FIG. 6 ). 
   With reference to  FIGS. 6 to 9 , a handle, in the form of a strap  62 , which extends through openings in the first and second solid links  51  and  52 , the struts  56  and  57 , and the seat covers  46   a  and  46   b , is used to manually pull up on the tension-rod plate  36 , which pivots the first and second solid links  51  and  52  towards each other, and pivots the seat covers  46   a  and  46   b  towards each other (see  FIG. 8 ). Initial force pulling up on the strap  62  disengages the locking feature  61  and pivots the tension-rod plate  36 , enabling the right and left supports  31  and  32  to pivot towards each other. Continued force pulling up on the strap  62  lifts the chassis  1  just off the ground, which folds the right and left side supports  31  and  32  towards each other, enabling the right and left side frames  6  and  7  to move closer together in the storage position ( FIG. 9 ). The strap  62  then acts as a useful handle for carrying the rollator device. Each flat seating platform  44   a  and  44   b  includes a shallow recess  70  ( FIG. 1 ) in the seat covers  46   a  and  46   b  for receiving the strap  62  to ensure the strap  62  does not cause discomfort to anyone sitting on the seating structure  10 .