IMPROVED WALKER/ROLLATOR

Abstract

A three- or four-wheeled mobility walker/rollator including a foldable or collapsible frame assembly including a main or anterior frame assembly and a posterior frame assembly, three or four wheels coupled to the bottom or base of the frame assembly, and at least two crossbar handles coupled to the top of the frame assembly. The crossbar handles are placed one in front of the other with the first posterior crossbar handle being aligned with or slightly behind the middle of the back wheel posterior to the bottom of the walker frame. The crossbars can be of a sufficient width and curvature to provide a continuous support for the forearms when the user is standing, and can provide more frontal plane stability and balance during locomotion compared to the handles of a traditional walker.

Claims

1. A walker comprising: a base frame assembly comprising at least three support members; an anterior frame assembly including first and second support members extending upwardly from an anterior side of the base frame assembly; a posterior frame assembly including first and second support members, the first and second support members being coupled to the first and second support members of the anterior frame assembly and extending from a posterior side of the base frame assembly; at least three wheels, a wheel being coupled to each intersection of the at least three support members of the base frame assembly; and a top crossbar assembly including a first non-tubular crossbar extending between a top portion of each support member of the posterior frame assembly and substantially over the rear wheels, and a second non-tubular crossbar spaced anterior from the first crossbar, wherein the top crossbar assembly is configured to align and position hands of a user close to each other and over and around the crossbars with the palms facing downward during locomotion thereby allowing the user's head to stay positioned over the user's shoulders and hips.

2. The walker of claim 1, wherein the first and second support members of the anterior frame assembly extend vertically from the base frame assembly and then rearwardly to intersect first and second support members of the posterior frame assembly.

3. The walker of claim 2, wherein the first and second support members of the posterior frame assembly extends vertically and forwardly from the base frame assembly to define a first portion, and then curve to extend substantially vertically to define a middle portion, and then curve rearwardly to extend substantially horizontally to define the top portion, and to which the top crossbar assembly is coupled.

4. The walker of claim 3, wherein the first and second support members of the anterior frame assembly connect to the first and second support member of the posterior frame assembly along the middle portion of the posterior frame assembly.

5. The walker of claim 3, wherein the walker further comprises: a basket assembly including a basket frame coupled to and extending from the first and middle portion of the posterior frame assembly, wherein the basket assembly is configured to prevent the user's arms from extending away from the user's body's COM.

6. The walker of claim 5, wherein the basket assembly further includes a plurality of grid members extending between the basket frame.

7. The walker of claim 1, wherein each crossbar has a non-tubular cross section including a flat top portion and a curved edge portion.

8. The walker of claim 1, wherein the crossbars are spaced from each other to form a gap extending about two to three inches.

9. The walker of claim 1, wherein a forearm bar extends from each lateral edge of the crossbars to connect the crossbars.

10. The walker of claim 9, wherein the forearm bar has a non-tubular cross section including a flat top portion and a curved edge portion.

11. The walker of claim 1, further comprising: at least one anti-tip wheel coupled to the posterior side of the base frame assembly.

12. The walker of claim 11, comprising two anti-tip wheels spaced equally from a center of a support member defining the posterior side of the base frame assembly.

13. The walker of claim 1, wherein the base frame assembly comprises three support members to define a triangular base frame, a first and second wheel of the at least three wheels being positioned on each end of the posterior frame assembly, and a third wheel of the at least three wheels being positioned at an anterior apex of the base frame assembly.

14. The walker of claim 1, wherein the base frame assembly comprises four support members to define a quadrilateral base frame, and four wheels, one wheel being coupled to each corner of the quadrilateral base frame.

15. A walker comprising: a base frame assembly comprising at least three support members; an anterior frame assembly including first and second support members extending upwardly from an anterior side of the base frame assembly; a posterior frame assembly including first and second support members, the first and second support members being coupled to the first and second support members of the anterior frame assembly and extending from a posterior side of the base frame assembly; at least three wheels, a wheel being coupled to each intersection of the at least three support members of the base frame assembly; and a basket assembly including a basket frame coupled to and extending from the first and middle portion of the posterior frame assembly, wherein the basket assembly is configured to prevent the user's arms from extending away from the user's body's COM.

16. The walker of claim 15, further comprising: a top crossbar assembly including a first crossbar extending between a top portion of each support member of the posterior frame assembly and substantially over the rear wheels, and a second crossbar spaced anterior from the first crossbar, wherein the top crossbar assembly is configured to align and position hands of a user close to each other and over and around the crossbars with the palms facing downward during locomotion thereby allowing the user's head to stay positioned over the user's shoulders and hips.

17. The walker of claim 16, wherein the basket assembly further includes a plurality of grid members extending between the basket frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Subject matter hereof may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a 3-wheeled walker according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the 3-wheeled walker of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a top view of the 3-wheeled walker of FIG. 1; and

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a 4-wheel walker according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0025] While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed inventions to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in an embodiment directed to a three-wheeled version of the walker 100, walker 100 includes an anterior frame assembly 102 and a posterior frame assembly 104. Anterior frame assembly 102 includes a bottom or base frame assembly 102a and an anterior frame portion 102b. Base frame assembly 102a can generally form a triangular base in the case of a three-wheel version as depicted, or in an alternative embodiment, a square, rectangular, or other quadrilateral base in the case of a four-wheel version. Two spaced apart rear wheels 106 are coupled to base frame assembly 102a, one at each intersection of frame members, while a single wheel 108 is coupled to an apex at the front of base frame assembly 102a, therefore forming a tripod. Preferably, only front wheel 108 pivots in use. Optionally, base frame assembly 102a can comprise one or more anti-tip wheels 107 which prevent walker 100 from tipping backward, such as on a steep incline.

[0027] Anterior frame portion 102b includes one or more vertical members 110 extending from the apex of base frame assembly 102a, and connecting members 112, which connect anterior frame portion 102b to posterior frame assembly 104. An optionally foldable and/or removable basket and shelf (not shown) can be operably coupled to walker 100 on top of anterior frame portion 102b.

[0028] A bottom of posterior frame assembly 104 is approximately six to eight inches off the ground, depending on the size of the wheels, and extends across each side of walker 100 to connect to base frame assembly 102a at a location of wheels 106. Members 104a, 104b of posterior frame assembly 104 curve upward and inward toward each other as they rise to intersect and connect to connecting portion 112 of anterior frame portion 102b. Members 104a, 104b extend further upward and then curve rearward and outward from each other to form top portion 114 of posterior frame assembly 104. In other words, top portion 114 widens from anterior to posterior of walker 100, and from about 12 inches wide at the most anterior portion to about 16-17 inches wide at the most posterior portion, in one non-limiting embodiment. Top portion 114 extends about 10-12 inches from the most anterior portion to the most posterior portion.

[0029] Unlike traditional walkers and rollators which include an indented area that extends forward from rear wheels and in which the user stands, posterior frame assembly 104 includes a basket area 109 formed of basket frame vertical members 109a and horizontal members 109b, filled in by grid members 109c to block access to this indented area 116, keeping the user aligned properly. Basket area 109 can instead be utilized by itself to carry larger items, or by placing a pouch, nylon, or any kind of fabric or mesh material to line basket area 109, and optionally one or more adjustable shelves for carrying a user's items.

[0030] Two crossbar handles 120a, 120b are positioned at top portion 114 of posterior frame assembly 104, connected by forearm bars 120c on each side of crossbar handles 120a, 120b. Top portion 114 is aligned underneath second crossbar handle 120b of walker 100, and top portion 114 terminates at first crossbar handle 120a. Crossbar handles 120a, 120b are placed one in front of the other with posterior crossbar handle 120a being aligned with or slightly behind the middle of the back wheel 106 posterior to the base frame assembly 102a. A gap 124 can extend between and is bordered by crossbar handles 120a, 120b, and forearm bars 120c. Crossbar handles 120a, 120b can be height adjustable along top portion 114 either together or independently from one another.

[0031] In a particular embodiment, referring to FIG. 3, first crossbar handle 120a, which comprises a flat, non-tubular top handle (with rounded edges), has a length of about 16 to 17 inches, extending across frame members 104a, 104b. Second crossbar handle 120b, which also comprises a flat, non-tubular top handle (with rounded edges), has a length of about 14 inches, extending across frame members 104a, 104b. Gap 124 can extend about two to three inches and widens from about 14 inches at an anterior side to 16-17 inches at a posterior side. Forearm bars 120c can have a constant width of about 3-4 inches, and also have a flat, non-tubular profile or cross section.

[0032] Crossbar handles 120a, 120b can be of a sufficient width and curvature to provide a continuous support for the forearms when the user is standing, and can provide more frontal plane stability and balance during locomotion compared to the handles of a traditional walker. Either first or second crossbar handle 120a, 120b can be used to push the walker, and the walker can be pushed with one or both hands. The hands are positioned close to each other with the palms facing downward during locomotion. Crossbar handles 120a, 120b are optionally hingedly coupled to top portion 114, and lock in place horizontally across top portion 114 during use. When walker 100 is folded along folding axis 101 and upon actuation of folding mechanism 115 such that its width is reduced so as to fit into a vehicle, crossbar handles 120a, 120b are unlocked and can be hindgedly moved to a vertical position and optionally attached to the main frame.

[0033] Walker 100 also includes one or more brake handles 122 under crossbar handles 120a, 120b that, when engaged, lock rear wheels 106 to inhibit rolling or movement of walker 100. When brake handles 122 are locked, they can also be utilized to assist the user when sitting or standing. Additionally or alternatively, crossbar handles 120a, 120b can be height adjusted to assist the user to move between sitting and standing positions. For example, when a user is going to sit, they may adjust crossbar handles 120a, 120b to a lower position to aid in lowering the body into the seated position. Then, the user can grasp optional lower positioned handles (not shown) to aid in pulling oneself into a standing position, and then readjust crossbar handles 120a, 120b to the original, higher position.

[0034] Optionally, one or more cane or crutch holders 123 (depicted in a non-limiting example in FIG. 4) can be placed one on each of the inside support frames 104a, b, in front of crossbar handle 102b. Corresponding tube portions 125 align with holders 123 such that a crutch or cane can extend along walker 100 and be secured in at least two portions. The base frame assembly 102b can be solid or a small grid or mesh, and positioned so that when the crutch or cane is placed or removed, the bottom of the same does not interfere with wheels 106, 108, frames 102, 104, and/or handles 102 of walker 100.

[0035] Optionally, walker 100 can include small solar or battery powered lights (not shown) on main frame 102 and/or posterior frame 104 of walker 100, open or hinged hooks, and/or clip pockets on the inside and/or outside of frames 102 and/or 104 for attaching small items, such as a cell phone, wallet, portable speaker, pedometer, purse, or the like. Other optional features can include, but are not limited to, a cup holder coupled to basket 109, and/or a water bottle holder coupled to the outside of posterior frame 104 of walker 100.

[0036] Now referring to FIG. 4, a walker 200 generally comprises a posterior frame 202 comprising at least two vertical members 202a, 202b and a parallel anterior frame 204 comprising at least two vertical members 204a, 204b and one or more support members 205. A wheel 210 is coupled to each corner of anterior frame 204 and posterior frame 202, thereby defining two rear wheels 210a and two front wheels 210b. In embodiments, only front wheels 210b pivot about each of members 204a, 204b. Posterior frame 202 is continuous from wheel to wheel without a U-shaped or indented area. Walker 200 further includes one or more baskets 206 and a bottom platform 208, each coupled to and extending between posterior frame 202 and anterior frame 204.

[0037] In an embodiment, anterior frame 204 has a height substantially equal to a height of posterior frame 202, such as, for example, 24 inches. Walker 200 narrows from back to front such that the rear wheels 210a are spaced farther apart from each other than the front wheels 210b. More particularly, anterior frame 204 is less in width than posterior frame 206 such that basket(s) 206 are coupled to an exterior surface of members 202a of posterior frame 202. In a particular example, a width of anterior frame 204 is approximately 14 inches, while a width of posterior frame 202 is approximately 16 inches.

[0038] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 and well as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, walker 200 is collapsible by folding frame members 202a and 204b by release mechanism 206, such that the frames fold along a vertical axis so that a user can fit walker 200 in a trunk or a back seat of a vehicle. In other embodiments, walker 200 is collapsible in the vertical direction such that its height is reduced.

[0039] Walker 200 also includes crossbar handles 212a, 212b coupled to a top end of each of vertical members 202a, 202b of posterior frame 202. Crossbar handles 212 are joined together at the top and outside edges of members 202a, 202b to provide a continuous support for the forearms when the user is standing, resulting in more frontal plane stability and balance. The back of posterior crossbar handle 212a is posterior to posterior frame 202 and aligns behind the middle or just posterior to rear wheels 210a.

[0040] In embodiments, walker 200 also includes one or more brake handles 214 under or on crossbar handles 212a, 212b that, when engaged, lock rear wheels 210a to inhibit rolling or movement of walker 200. When brake handle(s) 214 are locked, they can also be utilized to assist the user when sitting or standing. Additionally or alternatively, crossbar handles 212a, 212b can be height adjusted to assist the user to move between sitting and standing positions. For example, when a user is going to sit, they may adjust crossbar handles 212a, 212b to a lower position to aid in lowering the body into the seated position. Then, the user can grasp lower positioned handles (not shown) to aid in pulling oneself into a standing position, and then readjust crossbar handles 212a, 212b to the original, higher position.

[0041] In embodiments, walker 200 can further optionally include any of a variety of accessories, such as, hooks 216 for hanging purses or bags, trays 218 with or without cup holders 220, structure defining parallel openings 123, 125 for placing canes and/or crutches, or any combination thereof.

[0042] The height, shape, and design of the walkers described herein create a smaller moment arm between the walker and the user's COM. This shorter moment arm between the user and the walker/rollator gives the user a mechanical advantage as well as more sensory and proprioceptor input. When the vertical LOG in the body is maintained during locomotion, the line of sight stays in the direction of movement during locomotion. The walkers described herein provide and unmet need because it increases frontal plane balance, postural stability, and vertical equilibrium, while increasing proprioceptor and sensory input during locomotion.

[0043] Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed inventions. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations and locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the claimed inventions.

[0044] Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the subject matter hereof may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted.

[0045] Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended.

[0046] Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.

[0047] For purposes of interpreting the claims, it is expressly intended that the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.