Up-right walker for supporting a patient with up-right posture

• US 8,540,256 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas Grady Simpson
• Original Assignee: Thomas Grady Simpson
• Inventors: Simpson, Thomas Grady
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US13/663,719
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 280/7.1, 280/650, 280/87.05, 280/87.021, 280/87.041, 280/304.1, 482 66- 68, 135/65, 135/66, 135/67, 135/74, 135/76, 188 19- 20, 188 74- 75, 188166-167, 297/5, 297/DIG.4
• US Class Current: 280/87.05
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/005 with knee, leg or stump rests
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/006 with forearm rests, i.e. for non-used arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04; orthopaedic devices for correcting deformities of, or supporting, limbs A61F5/0102; exercising apparatus for the feet or toes A63B23/10; stairways or ramps E04F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/04 Wheeled walking aids for disabled persons A61H3/06 takes precedence

Abstract

An up-right walker for supporting a patient with up-right posture. The up-right walker includes side frames having a back leg frame and a front leg frame. Wheels are coupled to the back leg frame and to front leg frame for contacting a surface for enabling motion. A first support frame is disposed at the top of the first side frame and a second forearm support frame disposed at the top of the second side frame. A first support structure is coupled to the first support frame and a second support structure is coupled to the second forearm support frame. The first and second support structures are configured to have an angled slope not parallel to the surface engaged by the wheels. A knee support fixture may be provided that includes a knee support platform and a pivoting repository for receiving and supporting a knee therein.

Claims

1. An up-right walker, comprising:

a first side frame having a back leg frame and a front leg frame;

a second side frame having a back leg frame and a front leg frame, the second side frame being parallel to the first side frame;

at least one cross member forming a leading edge and coupling the first and second side frames at the front legs of the first and second side frames to provide structural support while providing an opening extending to the leading edge between the first and second side frames at the back legs of the first and second side frames;

wheels coupled to the back leg frame and front leg frame of the first and second side frames, the wheels arranged for contacting a floor surface for enabling motion;

a first support frame disposed at the top of the first side frame and a second support frame disposed at the top of the second side frame;

a first forearm support structure coupled to the first support frame and a second forearm support structure coupled to the second support frame, the first and second forearm support structure configured to have an angled slope not parallel to the floor surface engaged by the wheels; and

a first hand grip provided at a first distal end of the first forearm support structure and a second hand grip provided at a first distal end of the second forearm support structure;

wherein the first and second forearm support structure are arranged to hold a user upright by supporting, at a second distal end opposite from the first distal end, elbows of the user when upper arms of the user are in a vertical position to allow the user to walk in an upright position while being supported at the elbows.

2. The up-right walker of claim 1, wherein the first and second support structure enabling positioning of a user closer to first and second front leg frames between the first and second side frames to enable the first and second support structure to provide vertical support to the user thereby allowing an upright position while moving.

3. The up-right walker of claim 1, wherein the sloped angle of the first and second forearm support frame is adjustable.

4. The up-right walker of claim 1, wherein the front wheels are moveably coupled to allow the wheels to turn.

5. The up-right walker of claim 1, wherein the back leg frame includes a curved portion, the back leg frame being coupled to the front leg frame at a front end of the curved portion of the back leg frame.

6. The up-right walker of claim 1, wherein the back leg frame and the front leg frame of the first side frame and the back leg frame and the front leg frame of the second side frame are configured to include couplers for adjusting a height of the first and second support structure relative to the surface engaged by the wheels to position the second distal ends of the first and second support structures at the elbows of the user when the upper arms of the user are vertical to hold the user upright.

7. The up-right walker of claim 1 further comprising a first and second pivot mechanism coupling the first and second side frame to a front cross member for collapsing the first and second side frame inwardly to facilitate storage.

8. The up-right walker of claim 1 further comprising a knee support fixture, wherein the knee support fixture includes a knee support platform coupled to the first side frame and second side frame and a pivoting repository for receiving and supporting a knee therein.

9. A method for providing an up-right walker, comprising:

providing a first side frame having a back leg frame and a front leg frame;

providing a second side frame having a back leg frame and a front leg frame, the second side frame being parallel to the first side frame;

coupling the first and second side frames at the front legs of the first and second side frames using at least one cross member to form a leading edge and to provide structural support while providing an opening extending to the leading edge between the first and second side frames at the back legs of the first and second side frames;

coupling wheels for contacting a floor surface for enabling motion to the back leg frame and front leg frame of the first and second side frames;

providing a first support frame at the top of the first side frame and a second support frame at the top of the second side frame,

coupling a first forearm support structure to the first support frame and a second forearm support structure to the second forearm support frame, wherein the coupling of the first and second support structure comprising configuring the first and second support structure to have an angled slope not parallel to the floor surface engaged by the wheels;

providing a first hand grip at a first distal end of the first forearm support structure and a second hand grip at a first distal end of the second forearm support structure; and

arranging the coupling the first and second forearm support structure to hold a user upright by supporting, at a second distal end opposite from the first distal end, elbows of the user when upper arms of the user are in a vertical position to allow the user to walk in an upright position while being supported at the elbows.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the coupling the first support structure to the first support frame and the second support structure coupled to the second forearm support frame further comprises fixedly coupling the first support structure and the second support structure.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the coupling the first support structure to the first support frame and the second support structure coupled to the second forearm support frame further comprises adjustably coupling the first support structure and the second support structure.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising coupling the front leg frame to a curved portion of the back leg frame.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing couplers to the back leg frame and the front leg frame of the first side frame and to the back leg frame and the front leg frame of the second side frame for adjusting a height of the first and second support structure relative to the surface engaged by the wheels to position the second distal ends of the first and second support structures at the elbows of the user when the upper arms of the user are vertical to hold the user upright.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a first and second pivot mechanism for coupling the first and second side frame to a front cross member for collapsing the first and second side frame inwardly to facilitate storage.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising coupling a knee support platform to the first side frame and second side frame and providing a pivoting knee repository coupled to the knee support platform for receiving and supporting a knee therein.