Knee-supporting walking aid

Abstract

A medical device for assisting patients in walking who have sustained injury to the lower portion of their legs or feet. The device supports the patient's knee and is controlled by the patient's hand and arm. The device includes an elongate ground-engaging upright stanchion having an upwardly extending vertical axis when a user is standing. The stanchion has a top and a front, and a knee holster affixed to the top of the stanchion for receiving the user's knee. A handrail projects upwardly and frontally from a top of the holster at an angle of between 15 and 35 degrees from the vertical axis. The handrail has a hand-gripping portion located such that when gripped by the user while standing an angle of approximately 90 degrees is formed at the user's elbow between the forearm and the upper arm.

Claims

1. A knee-supporting walking aid, comprising: an elongate ground-engaging upright stanchion having an upwardly extending vertical axis when a user is standing, said stanchion having a top and a front; a knee holster affixed directly to the top of the stanchion for receiving the user's knee; a single upwardly and frontally projecting handrail extending from a top of the holster at an angle of between 15 and 35 degrees from said vertical axis, said handrail having a hand-gripping portion located such that when gripped by the user while standing erect an angle of approximately 90 degrees is formed at the user's elbow between the forearm and the upper arm; wherein said holster comprises a U-shaped knee cradle having a bottommost bend for receiving the user's knee, said cradle affixed directly to the top of said stanchion in the middle of the bend and further including two upwardly extending vertical laterally disposed arms; and wherein distal ends of each of said arms include a socket for receiving a bottom end of said handrail and for releasably affixing the handrail to said cradle whereby the handrail can be relocated from one side of the holster to the other.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the handrail includes a bend located between two substantially straight lower and upper portions of the handrail, the lower portion being vertical and the upper portion projecting frontally from said bend.

3. The device of claim 2 further including a handgrip located at the top of the upper portion of the handrail.

4. The device of claim 1 further including first adjustment means at a joint between upper and lower portions of the handrail for varying the angle of frontal projection of the upper portion.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the first adjustment means comprises an apertured yoke affixed to said lower handrail portion, said yoke adapted for receiving a fastener through aligned holes in the yoke and a hole in the handrail upper portion.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the sockets includes second adjustment means for selectively securing a handrail bottom end at different radial angles.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the means for affixing the handrail to one or the other of the cradle sockets is an elongate fastener that is received through aligned holes in the handrail and the cradle arm.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein a bottom end of the handrail includes an array of vertically and horizontally aligned holes for attachment to one or the other of the cradle sockets.

9. The device of claim 7 further including third adjustment means on said handgrip for securing the handgrip at different axial positions on the handrail.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the forward angle of the upper portion of the handrail with respect to the vertical axis of the stanchion is approximately 25 degrees.

11. The device of claim 1 further including a lateral extending belt affixed to said holster, said belt attached at opposite ends to the cradle arms across the front.

12. A knee-supporting walking aid, comprising: an elongate ground-engaging upright stanchion having an upwardly extending vertical axis when a user is standing, said stanchion having a top and a front; a knee holster affixed directly to the top of the stanchion for receiving the user's knee; a single upwardly and frontally projecting handrail extending from the topmost end of the holster at an angle of between 15 and 35 degrees from said vertical axis, said handrail having a hand-gripping portion located such that when gripped by the user while standing erect an angle of approximately 90 degrees is formed at the user's elbow between the forearm and the upper arm; wherein said holster comprises a U-shaped knee cradle having a bottommost cradle bend for receiving the user's knee, said cradle affixed directly to the top of said stanchion in the middle of the bend and further including two upwardly extending vertical laterally disposed arms, at least one of said arms having a socket for receiving a bottom end of said handrail.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a top left front perspective view of the invention being used by a patient in a standing position;

(2) FIG. 2 is a top left front perspective view of one embodiment of the invention with an alternate location of the handrail shown in phantom;

(3) FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the handrail in alternate radial positions with respect to the knee holster cradle;

(4) FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view showing a handrail embodiment having lateral bends;

(5) FIG. 5 is a right side elevation view of the upper portion of the handrail including a handgrip; and,

(6) FIG. 6 is a left side elevation view showing an angularly adjustable handrail joint.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(7) Referring now to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the invention is shown with the user in a standing position. The knee of the right leg of the user occupies a knee holster that is comprised of a U-shaped cradle 11 and a belt 13 attached at its ends to lateral arms of the cradle across the front. An upright stanchion 15 is affixed at its top to the bottom bend of the cradle 11. Handrail 17 extends upwardly and frontally from the top of the holster. In this position one can see that the controlling arm 19 of the user forms an angle delta () measured between the upper arm and the forearm. In preferred embodiments, the handle 17 is arranged so that the angle delta () is approximately 90 degrees. Also, the lower leg is unconstrained.

(8) Referring now to FIG. 2, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is depicted in isolation. Stanchion 15 includes height adjustment means 22 and a non-slip rubber tip 24 at the bottom. The handrail 17 has a substantially vertical lower portion below bend 27 which angles an upper portion frontally. A handgrip 29 is located at the top of the handrail. Each arm of cradle 11 includes a socket 21 that receives the bottom end of the handrail. Releasable attachment of the handrail to each socket is achieved by a removable pin 23, which is engageable with an array of axially and radially spaced holes 25 in the lower portion of the handrail 17. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the mechanical arts that by these relations the handrail 17 can be both radially and axially adjusted independently and also that the handrail can be moved from one side of the holster to the other. The alternate position 17a of the handrail is shown in phantom. Changing sides is necessary to accommodate either a right leg or left leg injury.

(9) Referring to FIG. 3, the radial adjustability described with regard to FIG. 2 is conveyed by the depiction of the alternate positions (a) and (b) of the handrail 17 shown in phantom. The inside of the base of the cradle 11 includes a cushion 31 for comfort. It will also be appreciated from this view that the area within the cradle 11 defined by the front belt 13 is limited to a small area, which permits freedom of movement of the lower leg and ease of entry and exit of the knee.

(10) Referring to FIG. 4, this rear view shows greater detail of the like enumerated elements described in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 except that handrail 41 in this Figure has a pair of bends 43 and 44 which displace the upper portion of the handrail laterally. This modification may be necessary to accommodate patients having a larger-than-average girth. Arms 45 and 47 of the cradle 11 are laterally disposed.

(11) Referring to FIG. 5, the handgrip 29 may also include adjustment means to move the grip to different axial positions along the handrail. In this case a pin 50 secures the grip to the handrail by passing a fastener through aligned holes 51 in the handrail 17.

(12) Referring to FIG. 6, an embodiment of the handrail is depicted in which the upper portion and lower portion of the handrail comprise two separate parts united at an angularly-adjustable joint. The joint allows adjustment of the angle theta () at which the handrail projects frontally. This embodiment includes a yoke 61 that is rigidly affixed to a lower portion of the handrail 63. The upper portion 65 hinges at pin 67 so that a receiving hole in the upper portion can rotate into alignment with one of the three holes 69 in the yoke. A securing fastener (not shown) is passed through the aligned holes in the yoke and upper handrail portion to affix the upper portion at the desired angle. In preferred embodiments, the frontal-projection angle is about 25 degrees, plus or minus 10 degrees.

(13) By these descriptions of the various embodiments, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides many advantages to the user. The greater control provided by the frontally projecting handrail makes it easier for the user to walk up stairs and move around in tight spaces. The ease of moving the knee into and out of the holster makes it easier to sit down and stand up and easier to get into and out of a car. Because there is no obstruction to the leg below the knee, it can be used by a patient who wears a therapeutic boot or cast. The invention has a simple construction without many pieces or moving parts. Furthermore, there are many means for adjusting the elements of the device to suit the varying needs of different users.

(14) Other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art. The embodiments shown herein are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the applicant's invention, which is to be determined only by the following claims and their legal equivalents.