Rollator

• US 20140125037A1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Andersen, Margaret M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/639
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/002 with attached or incorporated article carrying means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/004 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0161 Size reducing arrangements when not in use, for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1633 Seat A61H2201/0149 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/04 Wheeled walking aids for disabled persons A61H3/06 takes precedence

Abstract

A rolling walker comprises a frame, a seat supported by that frame, and a backrest supported by the frame. By one approach the backrest is configured to selectively move between a first position that provides back support for a person sitting in the seat facing in a forward direction and a second position that provides back support for a person sitting in the seat facing in a rearward direction. If desired, this backrest can be comprised of a material (such as a memory foam material) that biases the backrest towards that first position when the backrest is in the first position and that biases the backrest towards the second position when the backrest is in the second position.

Claims

1. A rolling walker comprising:

a frame;

a seat supported by the frame;

a backrest supported by the frame and configured to selectively move between a first position that provides back support for a person sitting in the seat facing in a forward direction and a second position that provides back support for a person sitting in the seat facing in a rearward direction.

2. The rolling walker of claim 1 wherein the backrest includes a flexible material.

3. The rolling walker of claim 2 wherein the flexible material comprises, at least in part, memory foam material and neoprene.

4. The rolling walker of claim 1 wherein the backrest is comprised of material that biases the backrest towards the first position when the backrest is in the first position and that biases the backrest towards the second position when the backrest is in the second position.

5. The rolling walker of claim 1 further comprising a vertical adjustment user interface configured to selectively move the backrest vertically with respect to the seat.

6. The rolling walker of claim 5 wherein the vertical adjustment user interface comprises a push button-based user interface.

7. The rolling walker of claim 1 wherein the backrest comprises a back-support strap that couples at either end thereof to a corresponding rotating strap holder.

8. The rolling walker of claim 7 wherein the rotating strap holders are configured to provide an elbow support surface to a person sitting on the seat.

9. The rolling walker of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises a first and a second front leg and a first and a second rear leg and the frame is configured to fold about pivot points between an unfolded state and a folded state, wherein the first rear leg is disposed proximal and substantially parallel to the first front leg and the second rear leg is disposed proximal and substantially parallel to the second front leg when the frame is in the folded state.

10. The rolling walker of claim 9 further comprising:

a user-accessible frame latch configured to latch the frame in the unfolded state and to respond to a user'"'"'s manipulation of the user-accessible frame latch by permitting folding of the frame into the folded state.

11. The rolling walker of claim 9 further comprising:

handles supported by the frame and configured to provide hand-graspable surfaces to facilitate a user using the rolling walker in the unfolded state to aid in maintaining their balance when walking.

12. The rolling walker of claim 11 wherein the handles include a handle rotation user interface configured to selectively permit the handles to rotate between a deployed state where the handles are disposed rearwardly of the rolling walker and an undeployed state where the handles face at least substantially inwardly towards one another.

13. The rolling walker of claim 12 wherein the frame defines an envelope when in the folded state, and wherein the handles are disposed within the envelope when the handles are rotated to the undeployed state and the frame is in the folded state.

14. The rolling walker of claim 11 further comprising:

at least one handle height user interface configured to selectively set the handles at any of a variety of selectable heights.

15. The rolling walker of claim 14 wherein the handle height user interface comprises, at least in part, a user-accessible push button.

16. The rolling walker of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of wheels coupled to the frame such that the rolling walker rolls.

17. The rolling walker of claim 16 wherein some, but not all, of the wheels are laterally offset with respect to a point of attachment to the frame in order that all of the wheels are substantially (though not necessarily fully) coaxial when the frame is collapsed to a folded state.

18. The rolling walker of claim 1 wherein the seat is configured to pivot with respect to the frame between a horizontal position suitable to accommodate a sitting person and an upright position.

19. The rolling walker of claim 18 further comprising:

at least one of an indented tray and a cupholder that is supported by the frame and that becomes visible and accessible to a user when the seat is in the upright position but that is hidden from view and inaccessible when the seat is in the horizontal position.

20. The rolling walker of claim 1 further comprising:

a flexible basket supported by the frame and disposed beneath the seat.

21. The rolling walker of claim 20 wherein the flexible basket comprises, at least in part, neoprene.