Patent Publication Number: US-9833377-B2

Title: Walker

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/955,460, filed Dec. 1, 2015, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the walker. 
       FIGS. 2 a , 2 b  and 2 c    are side views of an embodiment of the walker showing the height adjustability of the walker. 
       FIGS. 3 a  and 3 b    are a partially exploded and assembled view, respectively, of a ratcheting hinge assembly used in an embodiment of the walker. 
       FIG. 4  is a close-up view of the height-adjustable load bearing tube, showing the mechanism of height adjustment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of a walker are shown and described. Generally, the walker comprises two patient-load bearing support tubes, each patient-load bearing support tube comprising a padded underarm support for seating in the armpit of a patient, an adjustable-height load bearing tube, having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the adjustable-height load bearing tube is connected to the padded underarm support and the second end of the adjustable-height load bearing tube is provided with a rubber tip; two L-shaped legs, each leg connected at a first end to one of the patient-load bearing support tubes, wherein each leg has a wheel disposed at the second end, and a grip disposed on the leg for a patient to grip when the walker is in use; and a main tube connected between the two legs and defining the width of the walker; wherein the height of the patient-load bearing tubes may be adjusted from an extended position in which the padded underarm support is seated in the armpit of the patient to a retracted position in which the padded underarm support does not interfere with the patient&#39;s use of the walker. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the walker  100 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the walker  100  is provided with a patient-load bearing support tube  101 . The patient load-bearing support tube  101  is made up of an adjustable-height load bearing tube  102 , a padded underarm support  103  and a rubber tip  104 . The adjustable-height load bearing tube  102  allows for the adjustment of the height of the padded underarm support  103 , so that the padded underarm support  103  may be seated in the armpit of a patient. The adjustable-height load bearing tube  102  may take the form of two concentric tubes, one being a fixed bottom portion and the other being an extendible portion extending out of the fixed bottom portion. As can best be seen in  FIG. 4  which is a close-up view of the adjustable height load bearing tube  102 , the position of the adjustable-height load bearing tube  102  may be adjustable by means of a spring loaded pin  402  extending through the extendible portion and engaged a the hole  401  in the fixed bottom portion. As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , a plurality of holes  401  are provided to allow for different heights to be selected by the user. Alternatively, the height of the adjustable-height load bearing tube  102  may adjusted by a friction fit, i.e. fastening between two parts which is achieved by friction after the parts are pushed together, rather than by any other means of fastening, between the two concentric tubes. Other mechanisms for adjusting the height of the tube are known in the art and within the scope of the invention. The padded underarm support  103  may be made of foam, plastic or other materials known in the art, and may be covered by cloth, fabric, leather or other upholstery materials as needed in any particular application. It should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the hardness or softness of the padded underarm support  103  can be varied to meet, for example, the needs of a particular patient. The rubber tip  104 , aids the use of the walker by providing a non-skid surface when the end of the patient-load bearing support tube is in contact with a walking surface. Joint  110  allows a ratcheting hinge to be disposed inside the patient load bearing support tube  101 , so that the angle of padded underarm support  103  may be adjusted. The mechanism of the ratcheting hinge will be discussed in greater detail in connection with the discussion of  FIGS. 3 a    and  3   b.    
     Also provided in the walker  100  are legs  105 . As can been seen in  FIG. 1 , one end of the legs  105  are connected to the patient-load bearing support tube  101 . Disposed at an opposite end of the legs  105  is the wheel  106 . Wheel  106  also aids in the use of the walker by allowing the walker frame to glide smoothly on the walking surface when the patient pushes the walker forward. The length of the legs  105  may be adjustable, to accommodate patients of differing heights. Such adjustments may be accomplished by the means disclosed above in connection with adjustability of the adjustable-height load bearing tube  102  or other means for adjustment known in the art. The legs  105  are provided with a grip  107 , which the patient grips during use of the walker. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the grip  107  may again be made of foam, plastic or other materials known in the art, and may optionally be covered by cloth, fabric, leather or other upholstery materials as needed in any particular application. Optionally, intermediate leg supports  109  can be provided to further stabilize the legs and increase their weight bearing capacity. 
     The width of the walker  100  is defined by the main tube  108 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the main tube  108  is connected between the two legs  105 . The main tube is rigidly connected to the two legs  105 , and may be connected by any means known in the art, for example by welding, rivets, screws or by making the legs  105  and the main tube  108  from a single contiguous piece of material. Optionally, an additional support member  110  can be connected between the legs  105  to provide additional support for the main tube  108 , and further stabilizing the connection between the legs  105 . 
       FIGS. 2 a , 2 b  and 2 c    show the height adjustability of the walker  100 . Like numerals will be used to point out features in  FIGS. 2 a - c    as were used in the description of those features in the description of FIG.  1 . Thus, in  FIG. 2 a - c   , the walker  100  is provided with the patient-load bearing support tube  101 , the padded underarm support  103  and the rubber tip  104 . Also provided in the walker  100  are legs  105  with the wheel  106  and the grip  107  and intermediate leg supports  109 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 a   , the patient-load bearing support tube  101  is in a retracted position. In this position, the padded underarm support  103  does not interfere with the patient&#39;s use of the walker. In  FIG. 2 b   , the patient-load bearing support tube is shown in an intermediate position. In this position, the padded underarm support  103  may be seated in the armpit of a patient of shorter stature. Alternatively, a patient may rest his or her arms on the padded underarm support  103 , without seating the padded underarm support in his or her armpit. Finally, in  FIG. 2 c   , the patient-load bearing support tube is shown in a fully extended position. In this position, the padded underarm support  103  will be seated in the armpit of the patient. In this way, the patient can take advantage of the support provided by the patient-load bearing support tube while also using the walker to assist in their mobility. 
       FIGS. 3 a  and 3 b    show a partially exploded view and an assembled view of the ratcheting hinge assembly used in embodiments of the walker. As can be seen best in the partially exploded view of  FIG. 3 a   , the ratcheting hinge assembly  300  has a shaft  301  having a first spacer-retaining end  301   a  and a second threaded end  301   b . Also included in the ratcheting hinge assembly are first and second cylindrical spacers  302 . Each of the cylindrical spacers  302  having an axial bore  303  therethrough and a first end having a groove  304  disposed thereon and a second non-grooved end  305 . 
     A pair of mating gears  306  are also provided in the ratcheting hinge assembly. Each of the mating gears  306  has an axial bore therethrough such that they can be disposed on the shaft  301 . Each of the mating gears  306  has a first gear surface  307  and an opposing second rear surface  308 . As can be best seen in the assembled view of  FIG. 4 , the first gear surface  307  of one of the mating gears  306  engages with the first gear surface  307  of the opposing mating gear  306 . The second rear surface  308  of each of the mating gears  306  has a key  309  disposed thereon. 
     With reference again to the assembled view of  FIG. 3 b   , the shaft  301  passes through the axial bores  303  of the first and second cylindrical spacers  302  and the pair of mating gears  306 . The first cylindrical spacer  302  is in contact with the spacer-retaining end  301   a  of the shaft  301  and the keys  309  on the second rear surface  308  of each mating gear  306  are aligned and engaged with the grooves  304  disposed on the first end of each of the first and second cylindrical spacers  302 . A spring  310  is disposed on the shaft  301  and mating with the second non-grooved end  305  of the second cylindrical spacer  302 . A washer  311  is also disposed on the shaft and in contact with the spring  310  and a nut  312  is engaged with the second threaded end  301   b  of the shaft  301 . Tightening the nut  312  on the second threaded end  301   b  of the shaft  301  compresses the spring  310  and thereby compresses together the first and second cylindrical spacers  302  and the pair of mating gears  306 . The ratcheting hinge  300  allows for rotation in the direction R marked in  FIG. 3 b   , but the rotation is constrained to discrete ratcheting steps by the interaction of the opposing gear surfaces  307 . 
     When assembled in the walker, the ratcheting hinge  300  is disposed inside the patient load bearing support tube  101 . A joint  110  is provided in the patient load bearing support tube  101  which allows a first one of the spacer  302  and associated gear  306  to be inserted in an upper portion  111  of the patient load bearing support tube  101  and the second spacer  302  and associated gear  306  to be inserted in a lower portion  112  of the patient load bearing support tube  101 . The interface of the gear surfaces  307  is at the joint  110 , such that the upper portion  111  may be rotated relative to the lower portion  112 . Optionally, an additional joint  113  may be provided in the patient load bearing support tube  101 , to accommodate a second ratcheting hinge  300 . The inclusion of this additional joint  113  allows for further articulation of the padded under arm support  103 . 
     It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the forgoing disclosure has been set forth in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the disclosure is not intended to be necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples and uses described herein are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. Various features of the disclosure are set forth in the following claims.