Abstract
A walking aid (01, 02), in particular for shoes having a solid sole, a shoe system, and a system including the walking aid (01, 02) and a stick (18, 19), such as a walking stick or a ski stick. In exemplary embodiments, walking aid (01, 02) includes a main body (02.1, 0.2) for detachable arrangement on a sole and at least one fastening means (03.1, 03.2, 03) detachably fastened to the shoe, and, when fastened to the shoe, the main body (02.1, 02) extends from the toe of the shoe up to 40% of a length of the sole.
Claims
1. A walking aid for shoes with a fixed sole, the walking aid comprising: a main body for detachable arrangement on the sole and having at least one fastening means for detachable fastening of the walking aid to the shoe, whereby when fastened on the shoe, the main body extends from a tip of the shoe only up to 40% of a length of the sole; and the main body includes a front body part and a rear body part, whereby the front body part and the rear body part pivot to a pivoted-out configuration and to a pivoted-together configuration.
2. The walking aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body extends up to 35% of the length of the sole.
3. The walking aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body extends as far as a position of the sole over which a metatarsophalangeal joint of a foot in the shoe is located.
4. The walking aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body has a ground contact face and is of wedge-shaped design such that, when fastened to the shoe, a distance between the sole and the ground contact face increases from the tip of the foot rearwardly.
5. The walking aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the main body has recesses and webs on an upper face averted from the ground contact face.
6. The walking aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein the webs and recesses form a first contact profile and a second contact profile.
7. The walking aid as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first contact profile is of complementary design with respect to the second contact profile.
8. The walking aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein the body parts have recesses and webs on the upper face.
9.-10. (canceled)
11. The walking aid as claimed in claim 8, wherein in the front body part, the recesses extend at least partially as far as the ground contact face.
12. The walking aid as claimed in claim 8, wherein the recesses and webs of the body parts are of complementary design with respect to one another such that, in the pivoted-together configuration, the recesses and the webs are at least partially in engagement with one another.
13. The walking aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front body part and the rear body part are connected to one another by at least one double joint.
14. The walking aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one fastening means includes an elastic fastening means in the form of a tension strap.
15. The walking aid as claimed in claim 14, wherein the elastic fastening means permits both fastening the walking aid to the shoe and the securing the walking aid in the pivoted-together configuration.
16. The walking aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ground contact face has a profile and has at least one profile recess that at least partially receives a ski stick or a walking stick.
17. The walking aid as claimed in claim 14, wherein the elastic fastening means, when securing the walking aid in the pivoted-together configuration, surrounds the walking aid at least over a full periphery on an outer contour.
18. The walking aid as claimed in claim 17, wherein the elastic fastening means, when securing the walking aid in the pivoted-together configuration, secures the receiving of a a ski stick or a walking stick, in and/or on the profile recess.
19. A shoe system having a shoe with a fixed sole and having a walking aid for detachable fastening to the shoe, wherein the walking aid is as claimed in claim 1.
20. The shoe system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the fixed sole has a sole profile at least in certain portions, and an upper face, averted from a ground contact face of the walking aid, having a contact profile, wherein the sole profile and the contact profile are at least partially of complementary design with respect to one another.
21. A system comprising: a walking aid; a stick selected from ski stick and a walking stick; and a coupling device for detachably fastening the walking aid to the stick; and wherein the walking aid is the walking aid of claim 1.
22. (canceled)
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Further advantages and details of the invention will be discussed below on the basis of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:
[0040] FIG. 1 shows an exploded drawing of a walking aid according to the invention according to a first embodiment;
[0041] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a walking aid according to the invention according to the first embodiment;
[0042] FIGS. 3a-3c show a transfer of a walking aid according to the invention according to a second embodiment from a pivoted-out configuration into a pivoted-together configuration;
[0043] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a walking aid according to a first embodiment;
[0044] FIG. 5 shows a rear view of a walking aid according to the invention according to the first embodiment;
[0045] FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of a walking aid according to the invention according to a first embodiment;
[0046] FIG. 7 shows an exploded drawing of a system according to the invention according to a first embodiment; and
[0047] FIG. 8 shows a system according to the invention according to a first embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0048] FIG. 1 shows a walking aid 01 according to the invention, in the case of which the main body 02 has a front body part 02.1 and a rear body part 02.2. The walking aid 01 furthermore comprises two fastening means 03. One of the fastening means 03 is designed as an elastic fastening means 03.2 in the form of a tension strap, which is fastened to the rear body part 02.2. The second fastening means 03 is arranged on the front body part 02.1 and is realized by a rigid fastening means 03.1.
[0049] Using the fastening means 03, the walking aid 01 can be detachably arranged on a sole of a shoe, in particular on a rigid sole of a shoe. For this purpose, the shoe tip is placed in engagement with the first fastening means 03.1. Accordingly, the fastening means 03.1 is also designed similarly to a corresponding shoe tip receptacle of a ski binding. The second fastening means 03 in the form of the elastic fastening means 03.2 is tensioned around the heel of the shoe. In this way, a force is generated which holds the walking aid 01 securely on the sole of the shoe for as long as the fastening means 03.2 is fitted around the heel of the shoe. In the case of a ski shoe, the heel protrusion of the shoe, which otherwise engages into the heel part of the ski binding, secures the elastic fastening means and thus the walking aid on the shoe.
[0050] The body parts 02.1 and 02.2 of the main body 02 are connected to one another by means of two double joints 04 which engage into corresponding bearing points 05 in the body parts 02.1, 02.2. The front body part 02.1 may have an upper part 02.3 and a lower part 02.4, which are composed of different materials. The material selection may be made such that, for the upper part 02.3, optimum hold between shoe and walking aid 01 can be realized, and, for the lower part 02.4, optimum grip on different underlying surfaces can be achieved. The upper part 02.3 and the lower part 02.4 may for example be adhesively bonded to one another or connected to one another in some other way. By means of the double joints 04, it is made possible for the front body part 02.1 and the rear body part 02.2 to be pivoted from a pivoted-out configuration into a pivoted-together configuration. The corresponding transfer between the two configurations of the body parts will be discussed in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3a to 3c.
[0051] According to the present invention, the main body 02 has a total length L which extends from the shoe tip up to at most 40% of the length of a sole of a shoe on which the walking aid is arranged. The total length L of the main body 02 particularly preferably extends from a shoe tip up to at most 35% of the sole length of the shoe. The length L is of course the length of the walking aid 01 in an installed state and not the length in the state of the exploded drawing of FIG. 1.
[0052] Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the total length of the main body has a length of 115 mm in the case of a sole length of 335 mm, and the main body extends from the shoe tip over the front 115 mm of the shoe sole when the walking aid is arranged on a shoe.
[0053] By means of this dimensioning of the length of the main body, measured from the shoe tip or the sole tip, it can be achieved that the main body extends as far as a position P of the sole of the shoe over which the metatarsophalangeal joint of a foot situated in the shoe is arranged. In this way, it is possible in particular for roll-off to be considerably improved in the case of assistance from the walking aid according to the invention.
[0054] The rear body part 02.2 furthermore has two channels 24 which each form two channel openings 23.1, 23.2. By means of the channels 24, the second fastening means 03.2 can be fastened to the main body, in particular to the rear body part. For this purpose, the second fastening means may for example have end portions 25 with an enlarged diameter, wherein the diameter of the end portions 25 is greater than the diameter of the relatively small channel openings 23.2 and smaller than the diameter of the relatively large channel openings 23.1 of the channel 24. Thus, the end portions 25 are at least partially received by, and secured in, the channels 24.
[0055] The weight of a walking aid according to the invention preferably amounts to less than 120 g, particularly preferably less than 100 g. The walking aid thus has not only a small packing size but also a low weight.
[0056] Further embodiments relating to the dimensioning and design of the main body 02 of the walking aid 01 will be described below with reference also to FIG. 2.
[0057] In the side view of FIG. 2, it can be seen that the main body 02 forms, with its ground contact face 06 and the upper face 07 averted from the ground contact face 06, a wedge shape which, when the walking aid 01 has been fastened to a shoe (not illustrated in FIG. 2), has the effect that a greater distance between the sole (not illustrated in FIG. 2) and the ground contact face 06 is generated with increasing distance from the shoe tip. Roll-off is facilitated by means of the wedge-shaped design of the main body 02.
[0058] By means of the maximum height H of the wedge-shaped main body 02, it is furthermore possible to set or vary the position of the shoe when standing, and, in the case of a restriction of the movement of the ankle joint by the shoe, thus also the entire posture when standing in a corresponding shoe. This means that, by means of the maximum height H of the main body 02, the walking aid 01 can improve safety and comfort when standing. It can also be seen from FIG. 2 that the main body 02, proceeding from a shoe tip or tip of a shoe sole, runs as far as a position P of the sole (not illustrated) over which the metatarsophalangeal joint of a foot situated in the shoe is arranged. For this purpose, the main body extends from the shoe tip or tip of the shoe sole over at most 40%, particularly preferably over at most 35%, of the sole length of the shoe.
[0059] In the illustration of FIG. 2, it can furthermore be seen that the main body extends on the ground contact face as far as a position P which is situated slightly behind the position of the sole over which the metatarsophalangeal joint of a foot situated in the shoe is arranged. It is thereby made possible for the lever point 08 that must be overcome by means of the walking aid 01 during roll-off to be arranged slightly behind the joint center of the metatarsophalangeal joint of a foot situated in the shoe. Roll-off and walking with the aid of the walking aid are thus further improved.
[0060] With reference to FIGS. 3a to 3c, inter alia the function of the double joints 04 in conjunction with the front body part 02.1 and the rear body part 02.2 and the design of the body parts 02.1 and 02.2 will be discussed. FIG. 3a shows the walking aid 01 in a pivoted-out configuration K1. The pivoted-out configuration K1 constitutes the configuration in which the walking aid 01 can be arranged on a shoe or fastened to a shoe. It can be clearly seen from the illustration of FIG. 3a that both the front body part 02.1 and the rear body part 02.2 each have webs 10 and recesses 11 arranged between the webs. In the case of the front body part 02.1, provision is furthermore made whereby at least a part of the recesses 11 extend from the upper face 07, which is averted from the ground contact face 06, as far as the ground contact face 06, which firstly improves the profiling of the ground contact face 06 and secondly advantageously reduces the weight of the walking aid 01.
[0061] In the exemplary illustration of FIG. 3a, it can already be seen that the webs 10 and recesses 11, arranged on the upper face 07, averted from the ground contact face 06, of the front body part 02.1 and of the rear body parts 02.2 are, at least in certain portions, of complementary design with respect to one another, such that, in a pivoted-together configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3c, the respective webs 10 of the rear body part 02.2 are at least partially placed in engagement with one another with corresponding recesses 11 of the front body part 02.1. The same of course also applies conversely to the webs 10 of the front body part 02.1 and the recesses 11 of the rear body part 02.2. Corresponding recess-web pairs 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 are highlighted by way of example in the illustration of FIG. 3b.
[0062] Likewise particularly clearly visible in FIGS. 3a and 3b is a securing means 13 which, in interaction with the elastic fastening means 03.2, secures the securing of the walking aid in the pivoted-together configuration K2 illustrated in FIG. 3c. For this purpose, the elastic fastening means 03.2 is, in the pivoted-together configuration K2 illustrated in FIG. 3c, led from the rear body part 02.2 around the front body part 02.1, wherein the ground contact face 06 of the front body part 02.1 has corresponding guide recesses 14 for this purpose. The guide recesses 14 may simultaneously serve as a profile of the ground contact face 06. The elastic fastening means is subsequently laid around the rear body part 02.2, for which purpose the rear body part in FIG. 3c may also have guide recesses 14 (not visible) (see FIG. 7). Subsequently, the elastic fastening means 03.2 is led around the securing means 13.
[0063] Here, the length of the elastic fastening means 03.2, and the elastic characteristics thereof, are configured such that, when surrounding the walking aid 01 in the pivoted-together position K2, as shown in the illustration of FIG. 3c, on the outer contour of the pivoted-together walking aid 01, the elastic fastening means is stretched, that is to say undergoes an elastic deformation. It is thereby ensured that, by means of an additional or further elastic deformation of the elastic fastening means 03.2, the fastening means 03.2 is released from the securing means 13 and the securing of the walking aid 01 in the pivoted-together configuration K2 can be eliminated by the elastic fastening means 03.2. Equally, it can be ensured by means of the elastic deformation that the elastic fastening means 03.2, when secured on the securing means 13, secures the walking aid 01 in the pivoted-together configuration K2.
[0064] It can furthermore be seen from FIGS. 3a to 3c that the rigid fastening means 03.1 comprises a projecting length 26 which is for example placed in contact with an upper side of a projection of a ski shoe in order to fasten or arrange the walking aid 01 on the ski shoe. Furthermore, the elastic fastening means 03.2 is equipped with a grip element 28. The grip element serves for the manual actuation, in particular for manual elastic stretching, of the elastic fastening means 03.2. The grip element may be formed from textile material and be connected to the fastening means 03.2. In order to realize a particularly compact form or particularly compact packing size in the pivoted-together configuration K2 of the walking aid 01, provision may be made for the projecting length 26 of the rigid fastening means 03.1 to have an aperture 27 arranged on an upper side of the projecting length, in which aperture, in the pivoted-together configuration K2 of the walking aid 01, the grip element 28 of the elastic fastening means 03.2 is at least partially received, as indicated by way of example in FIG. 3c. The aperture 27 thus makes it possible for the grip element 28 to bear closely against the walking aid 01, and at the same time be easily accessible, when the elastic fastening means 03.2 is arranged on the securing means 13 for the purposes of securing the walking aid 01 in the pivoted-together configuration K2.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 3c, the grip element 28 is in this case preferably designed such that, when partially received in the aperture 27 in the pivoted-together configuration K2 of the walking aid 01, said grip element protrudes beyond the front body part 02.1 and in particular beyond the rigid fastening means 03.1. Thus, the grip element 28 can be easily actuated when the elastic fastening means 03.2 is arranged on the securing means 13. Thus, even in the pivoted-together configuration K2, the grip element 28 is easily accessible in order to eliminate the securing of the walking aid 01 in the pivoted-together configuration K2.
[0066] The plan view of FIG. 4 illustrates the upper face 07 averted from the ground contact face 06. For the sake of clarity, FIG. 4, and also FIGS. 5 and 6, illustrate the walking aid according to the invention without the second fastening means. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the upper face 07 comprises a stud structure 15. The stud structure 15 serves for preventing slippage of the walking aid 01 in relation to a shoe (not illustrated in FIG. 4). As an alternative or in addition to the stud structure 15, the upper face 07 may however also form a contact profile which is designed so as to be of complementary form with respect to a sole profile of the shoe on which the walking aid 01 is detachably arranged. This has the particular advantage that, in combination with a shoe which has a corresponding sole profile, particularly good hold of the walking aid when arranged on the shoe can be achieved. By means of a corresponding design of a contact profile and of a sole profile, it is possible to particularly advantageously realize a shoe system in the case of which the walking aid is precisely tailored to the shoe. Furthermore, a particularly advantageous transmission of force between shoe and walking aid can be realized through the realization of complementary sole profiles and contact profiles on the shoe and on the walking aid.
[0067] FIG. 5 once again shows, in the rear view of the walking aid 01, the securing means 13 and the guide recesses 14 formed on the ground contact face 06 of the rear body part 02.2, which guide recesses make it possible for the elastic fastening means, which for the sake of clarity is not illustrated in FIG. 5, to serve, when looped around the outer contour of the walking aid in a pivoted-together configuration, for securing the walking aid in the pivoted-together configuration. Here, the guide recesses facilitate the guidance of the elastic fastening means along the ground contact face 06. FIG. 5 furthermore shows the channel openings 23.2 of the channels 24, in which the second fastening means (not illustrated in FIG. 5) can be guided and secured.
[0068] The illustration of FIG. 6 illustrates a walking aid 01 in a view of the ground contact face 06. Here, the ground contact face 06 has not only the guide recesses 14 in the front body part 02.1 and in the rear body part 02.2 but also a profile 16. Here, the profile 16 comprises a profile recess 17 which is configured for at least partially receiving a stick, in particular a ski stick or walking stick. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the profile recess 17 runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body. The profile recess 17 preferably has a shape of a circular segment (see FIG. 2) and is accordingly shaped as a cylinder segment. The profile recess 17 may basically also be formed on some other surface of the walking aid 01. However, the formation on the ground contact face 06, that is to say the formation as part of a profile 16 of the ground contact face 06, yields the advantage that the profile recess 17 simultaneously serves as a profile of the walking aid 01 when the walking aid 01 is arranged on a shoe, and thus for increasing safety when standing and walking using a walking aid 01, and the profile recess 17 can be utilized to receive a part of a stick, whereby the fastening of the walking aid to a stick, in particular in the pivoted-together configuration K2 of the walking aid 01, as illustrated in FIG. 3c, is facilitated.
[0069] In the case of the walking aid being arranged on a stick, in particular in the pivoted-together configuration K2, not only the profile recess 17 but also the elastic fastening means 03.2 can be used in a particularly advantageous manner, because, as already described with reference to FIG. 3c, in the pivoted-together configuration K2 of the walking aid 01, the elastic fastening means 03.2 can surround the walking aid 01 over a full periphery, preferably along the guide recesses 14 on the outer contour of the walking aid 01, that is to say on the ground contact face 06 of the walking aid 01, in order to secure the walking aid 01 in the pivoted-together configuration K2. In this embodiment, the elastic fastening means may however simultaneously also serve for the securing or fastening of the walking aid 01 to a stick, because a corresponding stick is pressed by the elastic fastening means 03.2 into the profile recess 17 and held there. It is furthermore advantageously realized in this way that, when the elastic fastening means 03.2 is removed from the securing means 13, not only is the securing of the walking aid 01 in the pivoted-together configuration eliminated, but at the same time the securing or fastening of the walking aid 01 on the stick is eliminated or released.
[0070] FIG. 7 shows a system according to the invention composed of a walking aid 01, which, similarly to the illustration of FIG. 1, is illustrated in an exploded drawing, and of a stick 18, only a portion of which is illustrated in the illustration of FIG. 7. Aside from the stick 18 and the walking aid 01, the system comprises a coupling device 19 for the purposes of detachably fastening the walking aid 01 to the stick 18. The coupling device 19 comprises a clamp 20 which can be fastened to the stick 18 by a fastening means (not illustrated in FIG. 7) for example in the form of a screw. The coupling device 19 furthermore comprises a coupling element 21 which can be detachably connected to a complementary coupling element 22 of the walking aid. For example, FIG. 7 shows, in the region of the profile recess 17, a coupling element 22 complementary to the coupling element 21 of the coupling device 19. In FIG. 7, the coupling element 21 is designed for example as a ball head, which interacts with the coupling element 22 of the walking aid 01 in accordance with the principle of a press-stud connection.
[0071] FIG. 8 likewise shows a system composed of a walking aid 01, of a stick 18 and of a coupling device 19, wherein the walking aid 01 is illustrated still in the pivoted-out configuration K2 in the example of FIG. 8. For secure and space-saving transport, provision may be made whereby the system illustrated in FIG. 8 is also transferred into the pivoted-together configuration K2 for the purposes of transportation of the walking aid 01 when it is not on a shoe.
REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS
[0072] 01 Walking aid [0073] 02 Main body [0074] 02.1 Front body part [0075] 02.2 Rear body part [0076] 02.3 Upper part [0077] 02.4 Lower part [0078] 03 Fastening means [0079] 03.1 Rigid fastening means [0080] 03.2 Elastic fastening means [0081] 04 Double joints [0082] 05 Bearing point [0083] 06 Ground contact face [0084] 07 Upper face [0085] 08 Lever point [0086] 10 Webs [0087] 11 Recess [0088] 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 Recess-web pairs [0089] 13 Securing means [0090] 14 Guide recesses [0091] 15 Stud structure [0092] 16 Profile [0093] 17 Profile recess [0094] 18 Stick [0095] 19 Coupling device [0096] 20 Clamp [0097] 21, 22 Coupling element [0098] 23.1, 23.2 Channel opening [0099] 24 Channel [0100] 25 End portion [0101] 26 Projecting length [0102] 27 Aperture [0103] 28 Grip element [0104] L Overall length [0105] P, P Position [0106] H Height [0107] K1, K2 Configuration
