MOVEMENT AID

Abstract

A movement aid, includes a frame with elbow rests on its opposite sides and wheels at its corners. The frame further includes at least elements for adjusting a height of the elbow rests with respect to a support surface, for adjusting a mutual distance thereof in a transverse direction with respect to a longitudinal direction of the frame, and/or for adjusting a tilt angle thereof. The front wheels and/or the rear wheels are adapted to be capable of swiveling around vertical axes and/or to be locked/lockable in the longitudinal direction of the frame. In addition, the frame is adapted to enable a center of gravity of the movement aid using person to remain within a space defined by the wheels. The frame consists of two frame members of which the first frame member is provided with front wheels and the second frame member with rear wheels.

Claims

1. A movement aid, including a frame with elbow rests on its opposite sides and wheels at its corners, the frame further including at least elements for adjusting a height of the elbow rests with respect to a support surface, for adjusting a mutual distance thereof in a transverse direction with respect to a longitudinal direction of the frame, and for adjusting a tilt angle thereof, whereby the front wheels and/or the rear wheels are adapted to be capable of swiveling around vertical axes and/or to be locked/lockable in the longitudinal direction of the frame, and whereby the frame is adapted to enable a center of gravity of the movement aid using person to remain within a space defined by the wheels, characterized in that the frame consists of two frame members of which the first frame member is provided with front wheels and the second frame member with rear wheels, and whereby the elements for adjusting a mutual distance of the elbow rests in the transverse direction with respect to the frame's longitudinal direction are designed without changing a total width of the frame, said elements thus comprising swivel arms, included in the first frame member, rotatable around vertical axes and lockable in a rotational position desired therefor.

2. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the elements for adjusting the height of the elbow rests with respect to a support surface comprise adjustment arms, which are connected to the swivel arms to be movable in vertical direction and to be lockable thereto at a height position desired for the same, and to the engagement with which the elbow rests are connected.

3. A movement aid according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking of the adjustment arms to the swivel arms at a height position desired therefor is carried out on a quick release principle, such as with a mutual spring-loaded slot-locking pin arrangement or the like of said members.

4. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the elements for adjusting the tilt angle of the elbow rests comprise rotating mechanisms between the elbow rests and the adjustment arms for rotating the elbow rests in a vertical plane and for locking the same in a tilt position desired therefor.

5. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second frame members comprise, when viewed in lateral direction, tube or rod members, rotatable relative to each other in vertical plane by means of an articulation system 5, such as a folding hinge or the like, and provided at bottom ends thereof with wheels, for folding the movement aid to its standby position and for unfolding the same to its use position.

6. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that all of its wheels are adapted to be swivelable around vertical axes.

7. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the second frame member comprises seat members capable of being locked in a standby position thereof to an upright position in longitudinal planes of the movement aid and capable of rotating to a use position thereof around longitudinal axes of rotation.

8. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the wheels have braking mechanisms thereof adapted to be operated by moving two or more piece structural elements of the elbow rests relative to each other.

9. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that its rotating, swiveling, tilting, locking, adjusting and/or braking mechanisms are adapted to work by means of mechanically or hydraulically operated actuators.

10. A movement aid according to claim 1, characterized in that its rotating, swiveling, tilting, locking, adjusting and/or braking mechanisms are adapted to work by means of wirelessly operated radio-frequency actuators.

Description

[0013] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0014] FIG. 1 shows in a side view one preferred movement of the invention in a usage situation,

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a movement aid of the invention in a view from above,

[0016] FIGS. 3a and 3b show a movement aid of the invention in a view from the front with its elbow rests in two positions of use different in terms of a mutual distance,

[0017] FIGS. 4a and 4b show a movement aid of the invention in a view from the front with its seat in a standby and use position,

[0018] FIGS. 5a and 5b show a movement aid of the invention in a side view with its seat in a standby position and swiveled to a seat-forming position, and

[0019] FIG. 6 shows a movement aid of the invention in a folded condition.

[0020] The invention relates to a movement aid, including a frame 1 with elbow rests 2 on its opposite sides and wheels 3a, 3b at its corners. The frame further includes at least elements 4a, 4b and/or 4c for adjusting a height h of the elbow rests with respect to a support surface, for adjusting a mutual distance thereof in a transverse direction p with respect to a longitudinal direction s of the frame, and/or for adjusting a tilt angle a thereof. The front wheels 3a and/or the rear wheels 3b are adapted to be capable of swiveling w around vertical axes and/or to be locked/lockable in the longitudinal direction s of the frame. The frame is further adapted to enable a center of gravity PP of the movement aid using person to be retained, on a principle apparent from FIG. 2, within a space A defined by the wheels 3a, 3b. The frame 1 consists, in reference e.g. to FIGS. 1, 5a, 5b and 6, of two frame members 1a, 1b of which the first frame member 1a is provided with front wheels 2a and the second frame member 1b with rear wheels 3b. In addition, the elements 4b for adjusting a mutual distance L of the elbow rests 2 in the transverse direction p with respect to the frame's longitudinal direction s are designed without changing a total width TW of the frame 1, said elements thus comprising swivel arms 4b1, included in the first frame member 1a, rotatable w around vertical axes and lockable F1 in a rotational position desired therefor. FIGS. 3a and 3b display a movement aid with its elbow rests 2 in two L1, L2 usage positions different in terms of a mutual distance thereof.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, the elements 4a for adjusting the height h of the elbow rests 2 with respect to a support surface comprise, in reference e.g. to FIGS. 1, 5a, 5b and 6, adjustment arms 4a1, which are connected to the swivel arms 4b1 to be movable z in vertical direction and to be lockable F2 thereto at a height position desired for the same, and to the engagement with which the elbow rests 2 are connected.

[0022] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, the locking F2 of its adjustment arms 4a1 to the swivel arms 4b1 at a height position desired therefor is carried out on a quick release principle, such as, as apparent e.g. from FIGS. 3a, 3b, with a mutual spring-loaded slot-locking pin arrangement or the like of said members.

[0023] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, its elements 4c for adjusting the tilt angle a of the elbow rests 2 comprise, in reference e.g. to FIGS. 1, 5a and 5b, rotating mechanisms 3c1 between the elbow rests and the adjustment arms 4a1 for rotating t the elbow rests in a vertical plane and for locking F3 the same in a tilt position desired therefor. The locking arrangements F1 and F3 are preferably carried out by means of quick release skewers commonly used in bicycles.

[0024] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, the first and second frame members 1a, 1b comprise, in reference e.g. to FIGS. 1, 5a, 5b and 6, when viewed in lateral direction, tube or rod members, rotatable relative to each other in vertical plane by means of an articulation system 5, such as a folding hinge or the like, and provided at bottom ends thereof with wheels 3a, 3b, for folding the movement aid to its standby position and for unfolding the same to its use position.

[0025] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, all of its wheels 3a, 3b are adapted to be swivelable w around vertical axes, which enables an optimal agility for the movement aid even in tight spaces, as well as convenient access for a person using the same e.g. to an elevator operating panel, etc.

[0026] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, the second frame member 1b comprises, as presented in FIGS. 1, 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b, seat members 6 capable of being locked in a standby position thereof to an upright position in longitudinal s planes of the movement aid and capable of rotating v to a use position thereof around longitudinal s axes of rotation.

[0027] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, the wheels 3a, 3b have braking mechanisms 7 thereof adapted to be operated by moving two or more piece structural elements 2a, 2b of the elbow rests 2 relative to each other, in which context it is also naturally possible to make use of a handle element 2c as presented e.g. in FIG. 2 and operable on a joystick principle.

[0028] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, its rotating, swiveling, tilting, locking, adjusting and/or braking mechanisms are adapted to work by means of mechanically, pneumatically and/or hydraulically operated actuators, enabling the adaptation of mechanical and/or hydraulic transmissions to proceed at least partially inside the frame.

[0029] In a further preferred embodiment for a movement aid of the invention, its rotating, swiveling, tilting, locking, adjusting and/or braking mechanisms are adapted to work by means of wirelessly operated radio-frequency actuators.

[0030] It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the foregoing or above-described embodiments but can be adapted within the scope of its basic inventive concept to have a multitude of variations, depending on a frame material used for the movement aid, which can be e.g. wood or bamboo, or may comprise a pipe section made of e.g. aluminum, steel or a composite material such as carbon fiber, etc. It is further obvious that the quick release skewers used in locking systems, as set forth in the drawings, can also be replaced by other types of locking arrangements. Respectively, it is possible that e.g. the braking mechanisms be implemented e.g. a drum, disc, caliper brake principle by making use of e.g. mechanical and/or hydraulic transmission or by utilizing wirelessly operated radio-frequency controllers and actuators.