Patent Publication Number: US-2023149246-A1

Title: Smart walker

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from Taiwan Patent Application No. 110213375 filed on Nov. 12, 2021, in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a smart walker, particularly to a smart walker having improved convenience and safety with smart peripheral image judgment and safety protection functions. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Due to various factors such as old age, injury, and post-surgery, a user may be inconvenient in movement or may be in a situation requiring rehabilitation. At this point, the user may need an auxiliary tool for assisting motions such as walking and supporting. There are many different types of auxiliary tools. Various crutches and walkers may provide corresponding supports depending on the user’s needs. For example, through handles on both sides of a walker, the user may be provided with a supporting power applied to the body by applying a power to the arm, and a forward walking action may be assisted to restore or train lower body strength, so as to achieve the purpose of rehabilitation. 
     However, when the walker is used, the users may experience various physically discomforting situations. When there is no one around to take care of the user and when the user loses balance and falls down, it is often difficult to erect him/herself or stand up again without assistance, and accordingly, there are still doubts about the safety in use. In addition, most of the users are elderly and have perception and reaction abilities inferior to those of ordinary people, and it is difficult to immediately respond to changes in the surrounding environment. When the walker is used, the user may tripped while the walker is blocked or obstructed by a table or chair. The older people tend to be injured more seriously. With respect to the above problem, it may be another solution to select another auxiliary tool, in addition to increasing the assistance of a caregiver. The user may select the appropriate type of auxiliary tool. However, when the auxiliary tool provides an assistive function as well as the balance-supporting function, it may be helpful in solving the safety concerns that may occur when the conventional walker is used. 
     In conclusion, the conventional walkers still have significant problems in terms of safety in use and immediacy in care. Accordingly, the present disclosure has designed a smart walker in consideration of the above problems, in particular, improved the defects in the related art, and increased the industrial applicability. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of the conventional problems described above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a smart walker to solve the problems in safety and care of the conventional walkers. 
     One purpose of the present disclosure proposes a smart walker including a walker body, a first sensing device, a first support member, a second support member, and a control device. Wherein, the walker body includes a fixing member and a central leg, and the central leg is connected to a central position of the fixing member. The first sensing device is disposed on a central leg for obtaining a first sensing signal by sensing a surrounding environment. The first support member is connected to one end of the fixing member and the first support member includes a first handle, a first front leg and a first rear leg. Both ends of the first handle are connected to the first front leg and the first rear leg, respectively. The second support member is connected to an opposite end of the fixing member and the second support member includes a second handle, a second front leg and a second rear leg. Both ends of the second handle are connected to the second front leg and the second rear leg, respectively. The control device includes a processor and is connected to the first sensing device to receive the first sensing signal. The processor reads and determines whether an obstacle is present around the smart walker. 
     Preferably, each of the first front leg, the first rear leg, the second front leg and the second rear leg may include a stop device. When the control device determines that the obstacle is present therearound, each of the stop devices descends to allow each of the stop devices to contact with the ground and to fix the smart walker. 
     Preferably, the first support member or the second support member may include a manual switch connected to each of the stop devices to control on or off of each of the stop devices. 
     Preferably, each of the first front leg, the first rear leg, the second front leg and the second rear leg may include a slip-prevention member. 
     Preferably, the smart walker may further include a second sensing device disposed on the first front leg or the second front leg, the sensing device senses the surrounding environment to obtain a second sensing signal. The control device connects to the second sensing device to receive the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal, thereby determines whether the obstacle is present therearound. 
     Preferably, the first sensing device and the second sensing device may include an image capture device, a radar sensing device, an infrared sensing device, or a combination thereof. 
     Preferably, each of the first handle and the second handle may include a pressure sensor connected to the control device. The pressure sensors detect a using state of a user. 
     Preferably, a lighting device may be disposed at one end of the fixing member facing a traveling direction and is connected to the control device. The control device controls an on-off state of the lighting device according to the using state and an image reading result. 
     Preferably, the control device may include a storage device and the storage device is connected to the pressure sensor to record a using state. 
     Preferably, the fixing device may include a gyroscope connected to the control device and an inclined state of the smart walker is detected by the gyroscope. 
     Preferably, the control device may include a storage device and an alarm device, and the storage device connects to the gyroscope to record the inclined state. The control device generates an alarm signal from the alarm device when the inclined state is abnormal. 
     Preferably, the first support member and the second support member may respectively include a height adjustment rod and height levels of the first handle and the second handle are adjusted by the height adjustment rods. 
     Preferably, connection part between the fixing member and the first support member and connection part between the fixing part and the second support member respectively dispose a rotating member, and the rotating members enable the first support member and the second support member to be rotated toward the fixing member to a storage position. 
     Preferably, the walker body, the first support member and the second support member may be formed of an aluminum alloy. 
     Preferably, the first handle and the second handle may be formed of a soft plastic. 
     As mentioned previously, the smart walker in accordance with the present disclosure may have one or more advantages as follows.: 
     (1) The smart walker of the present disclosure may obtain sensing signals of the peripheral environments by the sensing device, identify types of objects present in the peripheral environments by using artificial intelligence, and analyze whether the obstacle is present ahead in the travel direction to actively activate a stop function, thereby preventing the user from colliding or tripping over the obstacle, so as to improve the safety in use.   (2) The smart walker according to the present disclosure may detect the using state of the user through the sensing device, a lighting assist function is provided through the control device, the alarm device transmit an alarm signal when an abnormality occurs in the using state to assist the user in trouble, so as to improve the care function of the device.   (3) The smart walker according to the present disclosure may record information such as surrounding image state and using state, provide the user with personal care records, and monitor a rehabilitation process, so that the quality of rehabilitation treatment can be improved.   (4) The smart walker according to the present disclosure may dispose the height adjustment rods and the rotating members, and select the lightweight materials, so as to provide the user with a convenient and comfortable experience, and to improve the practicability of the device.   

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to facilitate understanding of the technical features, contents, advantages, and effects to be achieved of the present disclosure, the present disclosure will be described in more details hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show various embodiments of the invention as follows. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of the stop device of the smart walker at on-state in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a plan view of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic diagram of the height adjustment of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic diagram of the storage state of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In order to facilitate understanding of the features, the contents and the advantages of the present disclosure, and the effects thereof that can be achieved, the present disclosure will be described in detail bellow with reference to the accompanying drawings. The diagrams used herein are merely intended to be schematic and auxiliary to the specification, but are not necessary to be true scale and precise to the configuration after implementing the present disclosure. Thus, it should not be interpreted in accordance with the scale and the configuration of the accompanying drawings to limit the scope of the present disclosure on the practical implementation. 
     Throughout the specification, the same reference numeral refers to the same element. It is noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, however, these are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer and/or section from another element, component, region, layer and/or section. Accordingly, those are used for illustrative purposes only, and it will not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or ordinal relationship thereof. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  1   , which is a schematic diagram of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the drawing, the smart walker  10  includes a walker body  11 , a first support member  12 , a first sensing device  13 , a second support member  14 , a second sensing device  15 , and a control device  16 . The walker body  11  includes a fixing member. In the embodiment, the fixing member may be provided with two horizontal bars including a first fixing member  111  and a second fixing member  112 , and may be designed in the shape of a front convex arc, and the used material may include an aluminum alloy for reducing the weight of the fixing member. The fixing member may have a rod-shaped or strip-shaped outer shape, and the number of fixing members may be adjusted according to the size of the smart walker  10  and is not limited to the quantity mentioned in the present embodiment. The walker body  11  further includes a central leg  113 , in which the central leg  113  may be connected to a central position of the second fixing member  112 , and the material may be the same as that of the first fixing member  111  and the second fixing member  112 . The first sensing device  13  is disposed on the central leg  113 , in which the first sensing device  13  may include an image capture device such as a video camera, an image camera, or an lens of the image capture device, or a radar sensing device or infrared sensing device, so that a first sensing signal is obtained by sensing the surrounding environment of the smart walker  10 . In the present embodiment, the first sensing device  13  may be provided by combining an image capture device for determining the environment at long distance range and a sensing radar for determining the environment at close range, so that the state of the surrounding environment is determined by the two types of sensing devices. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the number and type of the first sensing devices  13  may be adjusted as necessary. 
     The first support member  12  includes a first handle  121 , a first front leg  122  and a first rear leg  123 , and can be connected with a tube body formed of an aluminum alloy. Both ends of the first handle  121  are connected to the first front leg  122  and the first rear leg  123 , respectively. The first handle  121  may have a two-stepped design with a higher front and a lower back, and is covered with a soft plastic such as PVC material. The two-stepped design of the slightly inclined handle gives the user more stability when the user grips the auxiliary device so as to prevent the hands from easily slipping or loosening. In addition, the elderly or patients who do not have strength in the hands and feet may support both wrists by dispersing the action force thereto. Each of the first front leg  122  and the first rear leg  123  includes a slip-prevention member  124 . The slip-prevention member  124  may be a leg cover formed of a plastic or rubber, and the cover is disposed on the ends of the first front leg  122  and the first rear leg  123  to increase the friction force between the legs and the ground, so that the stability of the smart walker  10  is improved. A support rod may be disposed between the first front leg  122  and the first rear leg  123  to increase the overall strength of the first support member  12 . The first supporting member  12  is connected to the fixing member. In the embodiment, the first front leg  122  is connected to the first fixing member  111  and the second fixing member  112 . In order to assist the determination about the surrounding environment, a second sensing device  15  may be further installed at a position close to the ground of the first front leg  122 , and a second sensing signal is obtained by sensing the surrounding environment of the smart walker  10  by using the video camera, image camera or image capture lens or the radar sensing device. 
     The second support member  14  is connected to an opposite end of the fixing member to correspond to the first support member  12 . The second support member  14  includes a second handle  141 , a second front leg  142 , and a second rear leg  143 . Similar to the first support member, both ends of the second handle  141  are connected to the second front leg  142  and the second rear leg  143 , respectively. The second handle  141  may have a two-stepped design with a higher front and a lower back, and is covered with a soft plastic such as PVC material. The two-stepped design of the slightly inclined handle gives the user more stability when the user grips the auxiliary device so as to prevent the hands from easily slipping or loosening. In addition, the elderly or patients who do not have strength in the hands and feet may support both wrists by dispersing the action force thereto. Each of the second front leg  142  and the second rear leg  143  includes a slip-prevention member  144 . The slip-prevention member  144  may be a leg cover formed of a plastic or rubber, and the cover is disposed on the ends of the second front leg  142  and the second rear leg  143  to increase the friction force between the legs and the ground, so that the stability of the smart walker  10  is improved. A support rod may be disposed between the second front leg  142  and the second rear leg  143  to increase the overall strength of the second support member  14 . In the present embodiment, the second front leg  142  is connected to opposite ends of the first fixing member  111  and the second fixing member  112 . Likewise, a second sensing device  15  may be installed on the second front leg  142 , and positioned in a part close to the ground of the second front leg  142 . A second sensing signal is obtained by sensing the surrounding environment of the smart walker  10  by using the video camera, image camera or image capture lens or the radar sensing device. 
     Since all of the walker body  11 , the first support member  12  and the second support member  14  may be hollow tubular members, the control device  16  may be disposed in the accommodation space inside the tubular members. For example, may be disposed inside the first front leg  122  or the second front leg  142 . In another embodiment, the control device  16  may be disposed inside the first fixing member  111  or the second fixing member  112 . The control device  16  may include a processor, which may be a micro controller, a control chip with a control circuit, or a combination thereof. Through the space inside the tubular member, the control device  16  may be connected to the first sensing device  13  and the second sensing device  15 , so as to receive the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal. The sensing signal (for example, image data) is computed by the processor, to judge an image type or object type, and further determine whether an obstacle is present around the smart walker  10 . The control device  16  may include a memory device to store an operation program. The processor obtains the image data and then executes the instructions to access the operation program in the memory device, and analyze the content of the image through the artificial intelligence operation process like the neural network algorithm or the deep learning algorithm. For example, image features may be extracted to determine, through feature analysis, whether the object in the image belongs to the category of dangerous objects, for example, items such as slippers, bottles and cans, that are easy to trip over, or determine whether the object belongs to an obstacle such as tables or chairs. In addition, it is determined whether to give a notification to the user or to immediately lock the smart walker  10  to prevent the user from moving forward. The stop device for locking the smart walker  10  will be described in the following embodiments. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  2   , which is a schematic diagram of the stop device of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to  FIG.  1    together,  FIG.  1    shows a state in which the stop device is at off state, and  FIG.  2    shows a state in which the stop device is at on state. The same reference numbers as in the previous embodiment refer to the same elements, and the same description will not be repeated. As shown in the drawings, each of the first front leg  122 , the first rear leg  123 , the second front leg  142 , and the second rear leg  143  may include a stop device  171 . The stop device  171  may include a brake member, such as a gas valve, a resistance member or brake part, and a movable covering kit, which is a member coaxial with the first front leg  122 , the first rear leg  123 , the second front leg  142 , and the second rear leg  143 , or complementarily supported with an adjacent member. When the stop device  171  is in a raised state upon being turned off, in which the slip-prevention member  124  or  144  at the bottom of each leg is exposed. At this timing, the smart walker  10  comes into contact with the ground only by the slip-prevention member  124  or  144 . When the control device  16  determines that an obstacle  90  is present in the moving direction of the smart walker  10 , the stop device  171  is turned on and switched into a lowered state, so that the stop device  171  and the slip-prevention member  124  or  144  at the bottom of each leg simultaneously come into contact with the ground. In addition, air inside the stop device  171  may be discharged through an air valve, so that the stop device  171  comes into close contact with the ground due to the pressure difference. Accordingly, when the user moves forward, the stop device  171  is fixed, thereby stopping the user’s action to continue moving forward, so that the user is prevented from tripping over by the obstacle  90 . 
     In the present embodiment, the first rear leg  123  of the first support member  12  or the second rear leg  143  of the second support member  14  may include a manual switch  173 , disposed near upper end of the first handle  121  or the second handle  141 . The user may push the manual switch  173  to control to open or close the air valve of each stop device  171 , thereby changing the rise or fall state of the stop device  171 . This may be used to fix the smart walker  10  upon stopping the forward walking, or release the fixed state upon preparing for the forward walking. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  3   , which is a plan view of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to  FIG.  1    together, the same reference numbers as in the previous embodiment refer to the same elements, and the same description will not be repeated. As shown in the drawings, the smart walker  10  is provided with a first support member  12  and a second support member  14  on the left and right sides of the fixing member. The first support member  12  includes a first handle  121 , a first front leg  122  and a first rear leg  123 , and the second support member  14  includes a second handle  141 , a second front leg  142 , and a second rear leg  143 . A first width W1 between the first front leg  122  and the second front leg  142  is smaller than a second width W2 between the first rear leg  123  and the second rear leg  143 . The width range of the first width W1 outside the walker structure may be about 55 cm to about 61 cm, and the width range of a user activity space inside the walker may be about 48 cm to about 54 cm. The width range of the second width W2 outside the walker structure may be about 63 cm to about 69 cm, and the width range of a user activity space inside the walker may be about 56 cm to about 62 cm. For example, the first width W1 may be 51 cm inside/ 58 cm outside, and the second width W2 may be 59 cm inside/56 cm outside. In a gap width L1 between the front leg and the rear leg, an outer range may be about 45 cm to about 51 cm, and an inner range may be about 38 cm to about 44 cm. For example, the gap width L1 may be 41 cm inside / 48 cm outside. 
     A pressure sensor may be disposed at each position of the first handle  121  and the second handle  141 , and connected to the control device  16 . The pressure sensor measures the magnitude of a grip force when the user grips the handle, so that the user’s using state may be detected. For example, when the pressure sensor continuously detects changes in pressure, the control device may determine that the user is using the smart walker  10 . When the pressure is not detected for a predetermined period of time, the smart walker  10  may be determined as an idle state. The user’s using state may be stored in the storage device, in which the time the user has used the smart walker  10  is recorded. In another embodiment, a moving distance of the user may be sensed in combination with a distance sensor. The walker is used because the user is unable to walk normally. Thus, the user’s exercise or rehabilitation situation may be recorded by recording the using time or walking distance, so that the user’s health status can be effectively monitored. 
     In addition, a lighting device LED may be disposed at one end of the first fixing member  111  or the second fixing member  112  of the fixing member facing the traveling direction. The lighting device may be one or more light emitting diode lamps. When the user’s using state is recorded in the storage device, the control unit may be set up as follows. For example, the time of use or the peripheral condition after judging the image, can be used to turn on the lighting device LED. The user may illuminate through the lighting device LED at night or in dark places, so as to provide a safe space for moving forward. 
     In addition to the pressure sensor, the smart walker  10  may further include a gyroscope. For example, the gyroscope is disposed in the control device or the fixing member, and the gyroscope may sense the inclined state of the smart walker. When the gyroscope senses the change in the inclined state due to the inclination of the walker, the control device may determine that the user is falling down, an alarm signal can be transmitted by the alarm device, and a relevant person can be notified for rescue assistance. The alarm signal may include an alarm sound or alarm light. Alternatively, the control device may send an alert message to a caregiver to check the user’s status. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  4   , which is a schematic diagram of the height adjustment of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to  FIG.  1    together, the same reference numbers as in the previous embodiment refer to the same elements, and the same description will not be repeated. As shown in the drawings, in the first support member  12  and the second support member  14  of the smart walker  10 , each of the first front leg  122 , the first rear leg  123 , the second front leg  142 , and the second rear leg  143  may include a height adjustment rod  174 . The height adjustment rod  174  includes sleeve tubular members and a plurality of fixing holes  175 . The inner and outer tubular members are fixed by the fixing hole  175 , and then the position of the tubular member is fixed. In addition, height levels of the first handle  121  and the second handle  141  are adjusted. In other words, the height H1 of the smart walker  10  is adjusted. For example, the height H1 of the smart walker  10  may be in a range of about 72 cm to about 82 cm. The number of the adjusted levels may be determined through the number of fixing holes  175 . In the embodiment, the height adjustment rod  174  has a height adjustment function with five levels In the present embodiment, the positions of the height adjustment rod  174  and the fixing hole  175  are manually adjustable, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the first handle  121  and the second handle  141  may dispose an automatic height adjustment device. When a button is pressed, the adjustment rod is released and is adjusted to a hole position at a desired height. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  5   , which is a schematic diagram of the storage state of the smart walker in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to  FIG.  1    together, the same reference numbers as in the previous embodiment refer to the same elements, and the same description will not be repeated. As shown in the drawings, the first support member  12  and the second support member  14  of the smart walker  10  are connected to both ends of the first fixing member  111  and the second fixing member  112 . The rotation members  176  are disposed at the connection part between the first front leg  122  and the first fixing member  111  and the second fixing member  112 , and at the connection part between the second front leg  142  and the second front leg  142  and the first fixing member  111  and the second fixing member  112 , respectively. The first support member  12  and the second support member  14  may be rotated using the first front leg  122  and the second front leg  142  as rotation axes, respectively. When the smart walker  10  is not used, the first rear leg  123  and the second rear leg  143  may be rotated toward the fixing member through the rotating members  176 , so that the first support member  12  and the second support member  14  are rotated toward the storage position. When the gap width L1 is reduced, the volume required for storing the smart walker  10  is reduced, so that the storage space may be increased. 
     The above description is only for illustrative purpose and is not restrictive. All modifications and changes without departing from the idea of the present disclosure are included in the claims appended hereto.