Patent ID: 8291924

Claim:
A walking assistance device, comprising: a first leg, having a vertical portion with a bottom and a top, and a horizontal portion, wherein the horizontal portion has a first end distant from the vertical portion; a second leg, having a vertical portion with a bottom and a top, and a horizontal portion, wherein the horizontal portion has a first end distant from the vertical portion; wherein the first ends of the horizontal portions of the first and second legs extend towards each other; a flexible joint connecting the first ends of the horizontal portions of the first and second legs, the first ends of the horizontal portions of the first and second legs and the flexible joint forming a handle portion and comprising a length; a connecting mechanism below the flexible joint extending from the vertical portion of the first leg to the vertical portion of the second leg; wherein the bottom ends of the vertical portions of the first and second legs are spaced apart by an adjustable distance, wherein the adjustable distance includes a first position and a second position, and the bottom ends of the first and second legs can be locked into said first and second positions, where the distance between the bottom ends of the first and second legs in the second position is more that twice the distance between said bottom ends in the first position, wherein the walking assistance device can be reconfigured from the first position to the second position by changing the relative angular positioning of the first leg and the second leg within a plane defined by the vertical portions of the first and second legs in the first position, wherein the length of the handle portion remains substantially unchanged between the first and second positions, wherein the connecting mechanism connects the vertical portion of the first leg with the vertical portion of the second leg in both the first and second positions, and wherein the device has exactly two ground contact points, consisting of the bottom ends of the first and second legs.