CN115426997A

CN115426997A - Lifting type walking-aid chair and parts

Info

Publication number: CN115426997A
Application number: CN202180027831.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 加勒特·W·布朗; 瑞安·克里斯托弗·梅尔斯; 丹尼尔·理查德·列斐夫雷; 史蒂芬·迈克尔·劳森
Original assignee: Exokinetics Inc
Current assignee: Exokinetics Inc
Priority date: 2020-02-12
Filing date: 2021-02-11
Publication date: 2022-12-02
Also published as: EP4103134A1; JP2023514214A; AU2021220868A1; WO2021163360A1

Abstract

The invention discloses a foldable lifting type walking chair which is provided with a height adjusting mechanism and a height limiter. The elevating walker chair has a unique lifting mechanism that allows the walker chair to be easily raised and lowered without the use of a motor. The weight of the elevating walker chair may be optimized by using innovative support struts. The folding mechanism enables the lifting walker chair to achieve a compact configuration. The lift walker chair may include innovative components such as swivel seats, hinges, seat belts, retractable wheel mounts, height adjustment devices, and safety mechanisms.

Description

Lifting type walking-aid chair and parts

Background

Conventional devices for assisting mobility-challenged persons fall into two broad categories-walkers and wheelchairs-and a variety of intermediate combinations that can otherwise assist the rider in standing up and walking.

Conventional walker devices increase support and stability, but take up the user's hands and arms, making it somewhat impossible to carry or manipulate anything while moving. Four-wheeled walkers may also include a seat, but the seat cannot be used if the user does not step and turns.

Walkers are slow and isolated and are necessarily dangerous when set aside for sitting.

Most unpowered and powered wheelchair users maintain a long-term sitting position at the expense of muscle, blood circulation and heart health.

Lift wheelchairs use large motors to raise a seat belt-bound occupant to a standing position, and some lift wheelchairs are able to assist the occupant in different positions when upright, but without strengthening walking ability or requiring any muscle exertion.

Another intermediate class of aids includes "standing" walkers, which lift the rider some way and encourage the rider to walk.

Unfortunately, existing standing walkers hinder user interaction with the outside world due to large structures at the front and back entrances, or awkward folding seats, procedures and limitations. And the user must still lift a significant proportion of his weight from the sitting to the standing position via the legs and arms.

There is a lack of a device that allows a mobility-restricted person to sit and stand at will, walk with a relatively natural gait, and interact safely and easily with their environment-cooking, cleaning, washing, dressing and self-walking-all at a desired height and with at least a fraction of their own energy and previous motor abilities.

Disclosure of Invention

A collapsible elevating walker chair has a height adjustment mechanism and may include a height limiter. The elevating walker chair has a lifting mechanism that allows the occupant of the walker chair to be easily raised and lowered without the use of an electric motor.

The weight of the elevating walker chair can be optimized by using innovative support rods.

The retractable wheel mount may provide a greater range of height adjustment.

A folding mechanism may be provided to enable a compact configuration of the elevating walker chair. When folded, it can also be used as a walking support.

Innovative components such as swivel seats, hinges, seat belts, height adjustment and safety mechanisms may be included in the elevating walker chair.

Drawings

All figures are drawings of illustrative embodiments of an elevating walker chair and its components. Various components may be shown that may be incorporated into various embodiments.

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of an elevating walker chair in a sitting mode.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the elevating walker chair in either a standing or walking mode with the handles folded back.

FIG. 3 depicts a side view of the elevating walker chair in the "high bench" mode.

FIG. 4 is an isometric perspective view of the elevating walker chair in the sitting mode.

FIG. 5 depicts an isometric perspective view of an elevating walker chair in a standing or walking mode.

FIG. 6 depicts an isometric perspective view of the elevating walker chair in a "high bench" mode with the handles folded back.

FIG. 7 depicts a side view of an elevating walker chair with a maximum height limiter and a height adjustment mechanism, and an enlarged view thereof.

FIG. 8 depicts a spring arrangement that facilitates adjustment of the lifting strength by maintaining the spring pins engaged when the elevating walker chair is fully raised.

FIG. 9 depicts a front view of an elevating walker chair with a maximum height limiter and a height adjustment mechanism, and a further enlarged cross-sectional view thereof, wherein a height adjustment pin is engaged with a height adjustment strut.

FIG. 10 depicts a front view of an elevating walker chair with a maximum height limiter and a height adjustment mechanism, and an enlarged cross-sectional view thereof with a height adjustment pin engaged with a height adjustment strut.

FIG. 11 depicts an oval tubular height adjustment strut and a side cross-sectional view.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the oval tubular height adjusting strut of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 depicts a front view of the elevating walker chair, and a close-up view of the components of the lifting mechanism.

FIG. 14 depicts a front view of the elevating walker chair, and a cross-sectional view of components of the lifting mechanism.

FIG. 15 depicts front and side views of an elevating walker chair with the handles in an extended mode, and a close-up cross-sectional view of the handle pivots.

FIG. 16 depicts front and side views of an elevating walker chair with the handles folded back, and a close-up cross-sectional view of the handle pivots.

Fig. 17A, 17B depict cross-sectional views of the handle pivot in extended and collapsed modes, respectively.

FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the elevating walker chair.

FIG. 19 depicts an exploded view of the swivel seat of the elevating walker chair.

Fig. 20 depicts a top view of the swivel seat.

Fig. 21 depicts an exploded view showing details of the underside of the swivel seat.

Fig. 22 is a lower side view and a cut-away sectional view of the swivel seat.

FIG. 23 shows an isometric view of the elevating walker chair, and an enlarged view of the seat release lever portion.

FIG. 24 depicts bottom and front views of an elevating walker chair, and a cross-sectional view of the seat release lever portion in a locked position.

FIG. 25 depicts a bottom view and a front view of the elevating walker chair, and a cross-sectional view of the seat release lever portion in an unlocked position.

FIG. 26 shows a front view of a partially folded elevating walker chair.

FIG. 27 depicts a side view of a folding elevating walker chair.

FIG. 28 depicts a side view of the folding elevating walker chair on the side opposite the view of FIG. 27.

FIG. 29 is a front view of the folding elevating walker chair.

FIG. 30 is a rear view of the folding elevating walker chair.

FIG. 31 depicts a front view of the elevating walker chair showing the cross arms of the support and folding mechanism.

FIG. 32 is an isometric view of the elevating walker chair showing the caster swivel foot pedals.

FIG. 33 is a top view of the elevating walker chair showing the caster steering pedals in an angular position.

FIG. 34 is a top view of the elevating walker chair showing the caster steering pedals in a forward position.

Fig. 35A, 35B show the caster in a non-extended configuration and a vertically extended configuration, respectively.

FIG. 36 depicts a front view of an elevating walker chair with two backrests.

Fig. 37 depicts a cross-sectional view of the seat height lock safety mechanism.

Fig. 38 depicts additional components of the seat height lock safety mechanism.

FIG. 39 depicts a top view of a seat belt for use with an elevating walker chair.

FIG. 40 depicts a perspective view of a seat belt for an elevating walker chair.

Fig. 41A-C depict the cam buckle in an open position, a closed position, and with webbing threaded therethrough.

Detailed Description

Some of the elements included in the figures are duplicated in the illustrated device, as are the right and left elements. Such parts may be individually identified by a letter following the reference numeral. For simplicity, one reference number may be used without a letter, intended for multiple occurrences of the part.

Where the reference number is followed by a letter, "a" refers to the right side of the walker chair occupant and "b" refers to the left side of the walker chair occupant. Where the reference number is followed by the letters a, b, c or d, "a" and "b" refer to the front of the device and "c" and "d" refer to the back of the device, where "c" refers to the right side of the walker chair occupant and "d" refers to the left side of the walker chair occupant. In some cases, particularly when only one of the components is shown, these letters may be omitted. It is noted that on the opposite right and left sides, the components may be mirror images of each other.

Fig. 1-6 depict an illustrative elevating walker chair 100 having an elevating mechanism 102 incorporated therein. Fig. 1-3 show side views of an elevating walker chair 100, and fig. 4-6 depict isometric views. The elevating walker chair 100 has a sitting mode in which the seat 104 is in a lowered position, as shown in fig. 1 and 4. The elevating walker chair 100 also has a standing or walking mode in which the seat 104 is raised to allow the occupant to walk while supported by the elevating walker chair, as shown in fig. 2 and 5. In the standing or walking mode, the handles 140a, 104b may be extended to allow the user to control the elevating walker chair 100, for example by activating the brakes via the brake handles 142a, 142 b. The elevating walker chair 100 may have one or more brake handles 142.

Fig. 3 and 6 depict the elevating walker chair 100 in a high bench mode, which is a raised position in which the

handles

140a, 140b are folded back to allow the user to position the elevating walker chair 100 in proximity to, for example, a table, bar or counter. Various seat heights may also be selected between the height of seat 104 in the sitting mode and the walking mode. The

handles

140a, 140b may be folded back in the sitting mode of the elevating walker chair 100 or in any elevated seat position. This allows the user to position the elevating walker chair closer to a table or desk or other device.

While the seat 104 is depicted as a saddle that may be advantageous for an elevating walker chair, the seat 104 may have other configurations compatible with the use of the elevating walker chair 100. Note the gap in front of the elevating walker chair 100, such as seen in fig. 4, which allows the occupant to interact with the environment using a normal walking gait while the occupant's legs are unobstructed or barely obstructed.

Fig. 1-3 depict the lift mechanism 102 with a spring 106 visible on one side. However, the lifting mechanism 102 with the spring 106 may also be coupled to opposite sides of the elevating walker chair 100. The lift mechanism 102 may also be centrally disposed below the seat 104. Other lift mechanism structures may be incorporated into the lift chair 100 as a single unit or multiple units.

As can be seen in fig. 3, for example, the lift mechanism 102 includes a parallelogram structure 108 that includes parallelogram pivots 110, 112, 114, 116. Imaginary straight lines connecting the parallelogram pivots 110, 112, 114, 116 form a parallelogram. Thus, the term "parallelogram" is used, for example, in the phrase "parallelogram structure", even though the actual structural links may not be linear. A portion of end block 126 forms a parallelogram linkage between parallelogram pivots 114, 116. A portion of the frame 118 forms a parallelogram linkage between the

pivots

110, 112. The parallelogram link 128 corresponds to an imaginary line between the parallelogram pivots 112, 114. The parallelogram link 130 corresponds to an imaginary line between the parallelogram pivots 110, 116.

The various components are directly or indirectly connected to or integral with the frame 118. As shown in FIG. 4, the frame 118 may include

lower frame members

120a, 120b to which wheels 122a-122d are attached. The frame 118 may include back

components

124a, 124b extending upwardly from the

lower frame components

120a, 120b, which may be connected to or integral with the lower frame components.

Armrests

132a, 132b are attached to the frame 118.

Optional foot pedals

134a, 134b are connected to the frame 118 at

foot pedal pivots

136a, 136 b. The

foot pedals

134a, 134b may be stationary relative to the frame 118 or free to rotate with the

wheels

122a, 122b, thus serving to steer the elevating walker chair 100, as will be described further below.

A steering mechanism may be included that includes one or both of the

foot pedals

134a, 134b, one or both of the

wheels

122a, 122b, and one or both of the

foot pedal pivots

136a, 136 b. The

foot pedals

134a, 134b may be directly or indirectly connected to the

wheels

122a, 122b such that rotation of the

foot pedals

134a, 134b rotates the

wheels

122a, 122 b. The user may move his feet, either one or both, while using the

foot pedals

134a, 134b to change the orientation of the

foot pedals

134a, 134b and the

wheels

122a, 122 b. The

foot pedals

134a, 134b may have two or more standard positions, e.g., tucked in and rotated inward to accommodate the user's feet when seated. A foot pedal rotation mechanism may be employed that limits rotation of the

foot pedals

134a, 134b at the

pivots

136a, 136b, such as rotation limit stops at the two or more positions. Other foot pedal rotation mechanisms may also be included that provide additional position options. See also fig. 32-34 and the associated description below.

One or more of the

wheels

122a, 122b, 122c, 122d may be incorporated into the lift chair 100 by conventional or dual mode casters, such as described in international patent application PCT/US2017/060163 filed 11, 7, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference.

Details L of fig. 7 and 7 depict an elevating walker chair 100 having a maximum height limiter 138 that may be set to, for example, the user's standing or walking mode height. Fig. 7 also shows a height adjustment mechanism 144 for selecting various heights below the maximum height. An enlarged view of the maximum height limiter 138 and a portion L of the height adjustment mechanism 144 is also shown. When the user's weight presses on the seat 104, the seat height

release lever arms

186a, 186b are depressed, at which time the seat height release lever arms allow the elevating walker chair 100 to be adjusted to a desired mode, such as a sitting, standing/walking or high bench mode.

In the illustrative embodiment depicted in fig. 7, maximum height limiter 138 includes a support and height adjustment strut 146 having a series of holes 148 in a wall 154 thereof (see also fig. 11 and 12). The height adjustment lever 146 functions as part of the maximum height limiter 138 and the height adjustment mechanism 144, which will be described in greater detail below. Fig. 9-10 depict cross sections through maximum height limiter 138 and height adjustment mechanism 144. FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional detail through line T-T, both depicting a maximum height limit pin 150 and a height adjustment pin 152 engaged in

holes

148, 160 of height adjustment strut 146. Fig. 10 shows the maximum height limit pin 150 disengaged from the aperture 160 of the height adjustment strut 146.

Details of the support and height adjustment strut 146 are shown in figures 11 and 12. FIG. 11 shows height adjustment strut 146 in transverse section F-F and enlarged view G of the cross-sectional view. Fig. 12 depicts height adjustment strut 146 and a longitudinal cross-section through K-K.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in fig. 11, height-adjusting struts 146 are tubes having an oval cross-section. Adjustment strut 146 is shown as a curved member, but may be linear in alternative embodiments so long as it functions as described herein. In one illustrative embodiment, the height adjustment pin 152 is associated with one parallelogram linkage and moves in an arc. Other cross-sectional shapes may also be used, so long as height adjustment mechanism 144 and maximum height limiter 138 are configured to conform to the shape to perform the respective functions of adjusting and limiting height. The strut wall 154 of height adjustment strut 146 may be thickened in strut wall region 156 to inhibit wear caused by height adjustment pin 152 and maximum height limit pin 150. The height adjustment bar 146 may have a cross plate (cross-web) 158. As previously described, the height adjustment strut 146 has a plurality of apertures 148 in its wall 154. The height adjustment strut 146 also has a plurality of apertures 160 in the cross plate 158. The cross plate holes 160 are aligned with the strut wall holes 148.

Advantageously, the adjustment struts 146 are support struts employed in the elevating walker chair form disclosed herein. This allows a lighter weight lifting walker chair to be achieved, since the use of additional, heavier or larger lifting mechanisms can be avoided.

As shown in fig. 8 and 9, the height adjustment pin 152 extends into the aperture 148 of the height adjustment strut wall 154, but does not extend through the cross plate aperture 160. In one illustrative embodiment, the height adjustment pin 152 is joined to approximately the thickness of the height adjustment strut wall 154. However, the maximum height limiter pin 150 extends through the height adjustment strut wall aperture 148 and through the cross plate aperture 160. This may help stabilize the maximum height limit pin 150.

Maximum height limiter 138 has a compression spring 162 disposed about maximum height limiter pin 150 as shown in the cross-sectional views of fig. 9 and 10. The grip 164 may be connected to the maximum height limiter pin 150 to facilitate a user in extracting the maximum height limiter pin 150 from the cross plate hole 160 and the height adjustment post wall hole 148 and sliding the maximum height limiter 138 along the height adjustment post to change the maximum height limit. Once the maximum height limiter pin 150 is aligned with the height adjustment fulcrum hole 148 (and thus also automatically aligned with the cross plate hole 160), the compression spring 162 biases the maximum height limiter pin 150 to extend and remain through the

holes

148, 160. A maximum height limiter housing 166 surrounds the compression spring 162 and the maximum height limiter pin 150. The maximum height limiter housing 166 is slidably engaged with the height adjustment strut. The grip 164 is disposed outside of the maximum height limiter housing 166. Maximum height limiter pin 150 extends through an opening at a first end of maximum height limiter housing 166 and through an opposing opening of maximum height limiter housing 166 when compression spring 162 is extended.

The height adjustment mechanism 144 includes a height adjustment mechanism housing 168. The height adjustment pin 152 extends through an opening in the height adjustment mechanism housing 168 and through the height adjustment strut wall aperture 148 when in its extended position.

Fig. 37 and 38 depict cross-sectional views of the seat height lock safety mechanism. The cross-section of FIG. 37, identified as detail C, is an enlarged view of a portion of the elevating walker chair 100 seen in view taken along B-B. The extension spring 192 is coupled to the seat height release lever 186 such that, under certain conditions, compression of the seat height adjustment lever 186 will cause the extension spring 192 to extend, as will be further described below. As seen in fig. 38, the cable 194 extends from the height adjustment pin 152 and terminates at the seat height adjustment lever 186, which is also connected with the extension spring 192. When the seat height adjustment lever 186 is compressed, the height adjustment pin 152 can be withdrawn from the height adjustment strut wall aperture 148 unless the friction between the height adjustment pin 152 and the height adjustment strut wall aperture 148 is too great. The height lock safety mechanism is configured such that when there is no weight on the seat 104, i.e., the seat is unoccupied, the friction between the height adjustment pin 152 and the height adjustment strut wall hole 148 holds the height adjustment pin 152 in place. When the user sits down and adjusts the elevating walker chair 100 according to the user's weight, the chair has little or no upward or downward bias, i.e., the chair is balanced or nearly balanced. This balance allows the height adjustment pin 152 to be released to retract as friction is minimized. The balancing and biasing of the seat may be accomplished by, for example, springs 106 and parallelogram structures 108, such as shown in fig. 3. Once the user exits the elevating walker chair 100, the seat is biased to create friction between the height adjustment pin 152 and the height adjustment strut wall hole 148 into which it is inserted. Thus, the height adjustment pin 152 remains in place when the elevating walker chair 100 is unoccupied.

Returning to fig. 9 and 10, the height adjustment mechanism housing 168 is fixedly attached to the parallelogram link 128. Thus, as the height adjustment mechanism housing 168 moves along the height adjustment strut, the angle in the parallelogram 108 changes, thereby raising or lowering the seat 104.

When the maximum height limiter 138 engages the height adjustment strut, the deflection of the height adjustment mechanism housing 168 along the height adjustment strut is limited.

The maximum height limiter housing 166 is shown as a complete sleeve around the height adjustment strut. The height adjustment mechanism housing 168 is shown only partially enclosing the height adjustment strut. Either shell may fully or partially enclose the height adjustment struts so long as they are slidable relative to the height adjustment struts and their respective pins may properly engage the cross plate apertures 160 and the height adjustment strut wall apertures 148 and not interfere with other components of the elevating walker chair 100. Various mechanisms may be included to facilitate sliding of the housing along the height adjustment strut, such as rollers, ball bearings, and low friction materials, or combinations of these mechanisms.

It should be noted that the "height limits" and "height adjustments" described with respect to maximum height limiter 138 and height adjustment mechanism 144 are different than the lift force adjustment provided by lift mechanism 102, which will be described in more detail below. The maximum height limiter 138 provides a maximum height limit that defines the degree of excursion produced by the lift mechanism from the sitting mode to the standing mode. The height adjustment mechanism 144 allows a user to select a seat height between a sitting mode and a standing mode. The lift mechanism 102 facilitates easy change in the instantaneous height of the seat 104 for users of various weights. Other forms of height limiters and height adjustment mechanisms may be used with the elevating walker chair 100.

FIG. 13 depicts a front view of the elevating walker chair 100 and a cross-sectional view through the U-U showing the components of the lifting mechanism 102. FIG. 14 depicts a front view of the elevating walker chair 100 and a cross-sectional view through V-V showing a cut-away section of the components of the lifting mechanism 102. The lift mechanism 102 includes a parallelogram 108 (partially shown) and a spring 106, such as a gas spring. The first spring end of spring 106 is connected to parallelogram link 128 and the second spring end is connected to end block 126. The spring 106 is rotatably connected to the parallelogram link 128 at pivot 172. In the illustrative embodiment, the spring 106 has a clip 182 at a first end thereof that engages a tab 184 fixedly connected to the parallelogram link 128. The second end of the spring 106 will be referred to as the spring termination point 174. The spring termination point 174 acts as a pivot.

A lift force mechanism may be employed. For example, spring 106 may be adjustably connected to end block 126 at spring termination point 174. The end block has a slot 176 which, in this illustrative embodiment, has a scalloped inner slot edge indentation 178. Spring termination point 174 has a spring pin 180 that engages slot 176 and is retained in one of notches 178. Notch 178 forms an arc having a radius extending from spring pivot 172. The radius of the slot 176 may match the radius of rotation of the second end of the spring 106 when the spring 106 is fully extended. The lifting force of the lifting mechanism 102 will vary depending on which notch the spring pin 180 engages. The appropriate lifting force, as well as the notch position, should be selected based on the weight of the occupant of the elevating walker chair 100, as will be described in more detail below. Spring pin 180 will remain engaged in notch 178 until height adjustment pin 152 and maximum height limiter pin 150 disengage from height adjustment strut wall aperture 148 and move beyond the maximum height such that spring 106 is fully extended. The spring 106 may then be manually disengaged. Once the spring pin 180 is withdrawn from the notch 178, it may be repositioned in a different notch 178 to adjust the lifting strength of the lift mechanism 102. For further explanation of the lift adjustment function, see below.

To facilitate withdrawal of the spring pin 180 from the recess 178, a secondary compression spring 216 may be employed. FIG. 8 depicts an auxiliary spring mechanism that helps to retain the spring pin 180 in the notch 178 of the slot 176 when the elevating walker chair is fully raised. The secondary compression spring mechanism may be disposed in the end region 224 as shown in fig. 13. A portion of the spring 106 shown includes a spring body 218 having a threaded mounting portion 220. An extension cylinder 226 extends from the spring body 218. The extension cylinder 226 is slidably engaged with a receiving cup 228, which is generally the spring end region 224. The secondary spring 216 is coaxial with the spring 106. Essentially, the secondary spring 216 extends the travel of the spring 106 or takes over when the spring 106 is fully extended by extending when the seat of the elevating walker chair reaches a maximum height. This extension is configured to provide sufficient force to retain the spring pin 180 in the slot 176, but allow it to adjust between the various notches 178.

The position of the adjustment spring termination point 174 shortens or lengthens one side of the lifting triangle that forms part of the lifting mechanism 102. The lifting triangle side is the distance from the spring termination point 174 to the parallelogram pivot 114 (position of pivot 114, see fig. 3). The other two sides of the lifting triangle are the length of the spring 106 from the spring pivot 172 to the spring termination point 174, and the distance from the spring pivot 172 to the parallelogram pivot 114. The distance from the spring termination point 174 to the parallelogram pivot 114 can be considered a "lever arm". The effective lifting force of the lifting mechanism 102 increases as the lever arm length increases.

In this illustrative embodiment, the elevating walker chair 100 should be in its highest position for elevation strength adjustment. In the lowermost position, the spring 106 is compressed and positioned so it cannot be easily realigned with the notch 178. The spring 106 is extended when the elevating walker chair 100 is in the uppermost position and is aligned with the notch 178. Thus, 180 may be more easily repositioned in a selected notch 178.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the elevating walker chair 100 has

handles

140a, 140b (see also FIGS. 5 and 6). The

handles

140a, 140b may include one or more components. For example, as shown in fig. 15, the

handles

140a, 140b have two parts joined at fasteners 190a, 190 b. The

handles

140a, 140b are rotatably connected to the

end blocks

126a, 126b by handle pivots 202a, 202 b. The

handles

140a, 140b may be adapted to the user in a comfortable and supportive manner when the user stands or walks using the elevating walker chair in the raised position. In one illustrative embodiment, the

handles

140a, 140b are optionally configured to extend when the elevating walker chair 100 is raised. Alternatively or additionally, the

handles

140a, 140b may be configured to be manually deployed.

FIG. 15 depicts front and side views of the elevating walker chair 100 with the handles 140 in an extended position. FIG. 15 includes a cross-section taken through AA-AA. Section AA-AA shows handle pivot 202. The same side view of the elevating walker chair 100 as in figure 2 is again shown for reference. An enlarged view of section AC in fig. 15 is shown in fig. 17A. Section AC depicts handle pivot 202 when handle 140 is in the extended position.

FIG. 16 depicts a front view of the elevating walker chair 100 with the handles 140 in a folded position. Fig. 16 includes a cross-section taken through AB-AB. Section AB-AB shows handle pivot 202 configured when handle 140 is in a folded position. The same side view of the elevating walker chair 100 as in figure 3 is again shown for reference. An enlarged view of the section AD in fig. 16 is shown in fig. 17B. Section AC depicts the handle pivot 202 when the handle 140 is in the folded position.

Fig. 17A depicts the handle pivot 202 when the handle 140 is extended. Handle pivot 202 may include a first pivot pin 204 and a second pivot pin 206, each extending from end block 126. The pivot member 208 is attached to or integral with the handle 140. The pivot member 208 includes a pivot recess 210 and a pivot slot 212. When the handle 140 is extended, the first pivot pin 204 is positioned toward an outer portion of the pivot slot 212 and the second pivot pin 206 is engaged in the notch 210. If a force 214 is applied to the handle 140 near the handle pivot 202, the force will have a significant upward vector component and cause the pivot member 208 to also move upward, thereby repositioning the pivot slot 212 such that the first pivot pin 204 is directed toward the inner portion of the pivot slot 212. The force 214 will also disengage the second pivot pin from the pivot notch 210. The resulting morphology is shown in fig. 17B. The handle 140 will still pivot about the first pivot pin 204 but will no longer be locked in place by the second pivot pin 206. This allows the handle 140 to pivot to the rear of the elevating walker chair 100. By folding the handle 140 up or back in this manner, the user can position the elevating walker chair closer to, for example, a table or counter. If a force 214 is applied at a more outboard location along the handle 140 (i.e., away from the occupant), the handle 140 will rotate about the first pivot pin 204 without disengaging from the pivot notch 210.

It should be noted that a conventional latch or similar mechanism may be used in place of the combination of the pivot notch 210 and pivot slot 212 of the pivot member 208.

The elevating walker chair 100 may have different types of seats 104. Fig. 18-22 depict a swivel seat 302 in the form of a saddle having a wide rear portion. The features of the swivel seat 302 may also be used with other shaped seats.

Fig. 18 is a bottom view of the swivel seat 302. Fig. 19 shows an exploded view, which includes a top component 304 and a bottom component 306 configured to be connected to each other. Fig. 20 depicts a top view of the swivel seat 302. Fig. 21 depicts an exploded view showing details of the underside of the swivel seat 302. FIG. 22 is a view of the underside of the swivel seat 302, taken in cross-section through AE-AE. Various structural flanges or components are depicted that may not be necessary depending on the material and size of the swivel seat 302 and its application.

The swivel seat 302 rotates about a seat pivot 308. The seat pivot 308 may include a hole in which a post or other pivot mechanism is disposed. The swivel seat 302 may have one or more roller assemblies 310, primarily for additional structural support that may reduce the torque of the structure compared to swivel seats that are supported on only a single pivot. This potential reduction is due to the multiple points or areas of contact of the swivel seat 302.

Roller device 310 includes an arcuate track or opening 312 disposed in bottom seat component 306 at a radial distance from seat pivot 308. The arc center of each track 312 is the seat pivot 308. A roller 314 complementary to the track 312 is disposed on the top member 304. When the top member 304 is engaged with the bottom member 306, the roller 314 fits into the track 312. The contact between the rollers 314 and the tracks 312 provides support for the seat 302 while allowing the seat 302 to freely rotate about the seat pivot 308. The positions of the rollers 314 and tracks 312 may be reversed, including on the top member 304 and bottom member 306. The length of the tracks 312 may vary and may depend on, for example, the number of tracks in the seat, the weight of the seat, and the weight range of the intended occupant.

Also visible in fig. 18 and 22 is a release lever 402 for disengaging the seat 302 (or other seat 104) so that the elevating walker chair 100 can be folded as designed. By "collapsible" it is meant that the elevating walker chair may be collapsible, and may include components that collapse in ways other than folding. It should be noted that the swivel seat 302 may be used in other devices besides an elevating walker seat.

Figures 23 to 30 depict the folding mechanism of the elevating walker chair 100 showing the elevating walker chair at various stages during the folding process.

FIG. 23 shows an isometric view of the elevating walker chair 100, along with an enlarged view of section A. The joystick 402 is connected to the top seat member 306. FIG. 24 depicts bottom and front views of the elevating walker chair 100, and a cross-sectional view taken through D-D. The lever 402 is engaged with the hook 404. Hook 404 is located on end block 126. Thus, when the lever 402 is engaged with the hook 404, the seat 104 is locked in place.

FIG. 25 depicts bottom and front views of the elevating walker chair 100, and a cross-sectional view through G-G. The lever 402 is shown disengaged from the hook 404 by rotating about the lever pivot 406. It should be noted that the positions of the lever and hook may be reversed. Further, the release lever 402 may be positioned elsewhere so long as it functions as intended. Additionally, the hook 404 may be on a component other than the end block 126, depending on the configuration of the elevating walker chair 100. For example, the hook 404 may be located on a portion of the frame 118. The latching mechanism should allow the seat 104 to rotate when the lever 402 is depressed and lock into place when the lever is engaged. Other seat latching mechanisms may be used so long as they accomplish this function and are compatible with the other components of the elevating walker chair 100.

FIG. 26 shows a front view of the elevating walker chair 100 when the seat 104 has been partially rotated about the seat hinge 408, the location and portions of the seat hinge being shown in FIG. 20. The seat hinge component 410 of the seat hinge 408 engages a complementary hinge component that can be connected to, for example, the end block 126. On the opposite side from the seat hinge 408, the seat 104 has a seat catch 412 that engages a rod 414. The rod 414 may be fixed to the seat hook 414 or may be integral with the seat hook. When the seat latch 412 is engaged with the rod 414, the seat 104 is supported in a horizontal or near horizontal position for use as a seat or user support for standing or walking modes. The seat 104 may also be stabilized by other stabilizing mechanisms as long as they secure the seat in place when the elevating walker chair 100 is in use, adequately support the user while sitting, standing and walking, and do not interfere with, i.e., are compatible with, other components and functions of the elevating walker chair 100.

Fig. 27-30 depict the elevating walker chair in a folded configuration. The elevating walker chair 100 may be locked in the folded position. In the illustrative embodiment shown, the elevating walker chair 100 is preferably folded in its lowest (sitting) position. Fig. 27 and 28 are opposite side views of the folding elevating walker chair 100. Fig. 27 shows a view of the side on which the rod 414 is located. Fig. 28 depicts a view of the side on which the seat hinge 408 is located. As can be seen in fig. 27, 28, the seat 104 rotates about a relatively horizontal axis so that the seating surface of the seat 104 is substantially vertical. This allows the frame 118 to be folded so that the

end blocks

126a, 126b can be moved towards each other, as shown in the front and rear views of the folded elevating walker chair 100 in figures 29, 30, respectively.

FIG. 31 shows cross

arms

502a,502b that are part of the folding mechanism of the elevating walker chair. The

cross arms

502a,502b pivot at a cross arm pivot 504. Each

cross arm

502a,502b is made up of two hinged parts 506a, b, 508a, b. The "hinge" connecting the hinged components may be any rotational mechanism that allows the

cross arms

502a,502b to fold as desired. For example, the "hinge" may be a conventional pivot.

Crossbar members

506a, 506b, 508a, 508b are attached to frame 118 and function to hold end blocks 126 at right angles to each other when deployed in normal use. When the

cross arms

502a,502b rotate in a scissor-like manner toward alignment with one another, the left and right sides of the frame 118 approach one another. The

cross-arm members

506a, 506b are folded downward relative to the cross-arm members 508a, 508b to bring the left and right members of the frame 118 as close together as possible. The

crossbars

502a,502b may be nested within one another for compactness.

Returning to FIG. 23, section D-D of FIG. 24, and section G-G of FIG. 25, a collapsible seat support frame 510 can be seen. The foldable seat support frame 510 includes two members 512, 514 hinged at a first seat support pivot 516 in a scissor manner. First seat support member 512 is also hingedly connected to bottom seat member 306 at a second seat support pivot 518. When the left and right sides of the frame 118 are brought together, the seat support member 514 folds down and into close proximity with the seat support member 512. The seat support members 512, 514 nest with one another and fold around the bottom seat member 306. The second seat pivot 518 allows the foldable seat support to support the seat 104 in a folded configuration.

For example, as can be seen in the illustrative embodiments of fig. 27, 28, the elevating walker chair 100, when folded, may be configured such that the seat release latch 412 is positioned so that a user may grasp the device to provide walking support. The

wheels

122a, 122b, 122c, 122d remain on the ground, thus allowing the elevating walker chair to roll while the user is walking while grasping the seat hinge member 410. Different "handle" configurations may be incorporated into the elevating walker chair 100. In this embodiment, the elevating walker chair 100 is balanced in the folded position to allow it to be used as a walking support. That is, when the user transfers weight to the handle 410 for support, the elevating walker chair 100 will remain on the ground and will not topple or topple less likely. This is accomplished by having the

wheels

122a, 122b, 122c, 122d flush with and sufficiently spaced apart from each other. In addition, the handles 410 may be positioned to prevent the user's weight from causing the elevating walker chair 100 to tip over.

The configuration may allow the elevating walker chair 100 to fold without the user bending over, or with the user bending over minimally. However, other folding mechanisms may be incorporated into the elevating walker chair 100.

Fig. 32 to 34 show caster swivel foot pedals 602a,602 b. The foot pedals 602a,602b are fixedly associated with the

axles

604a, 604b of the

front caster

606a,606 b. Thus, rotation of the foot pedals 602a,602b rotates the

front wheels

606a, 606b. Fig. 32 and 33 are isometric and top views, respectively, of the elevating walker chair 100 showing the foot pedals 602a,602b angled obliquely from a straight-ahead position. As can be seen in fig. 32,

casters

606a,606b are also rotated. FIG. 34 is a top view of the elevating walker chair 100 showing the foot pedals 602a,602b and

casters

606a,606b oriented forward. These particular footrests are shown as oval. The foot pedals 602a,602b enable the occupant to steer the elevating walker chair 100 by rotating the

casters

606a,606b with the feet to bring the walker chair along a desired path. The foot pedal preferably has sufficient friction to engage the user's foot/shoe to effect steering.

Fig. 35A, 35B show casters 606B, 606a in a non-extended configuration and a vertically extended configuration, respectively. The shafts 604a, 604d may extend from sleeves 608a, 608b, respectively. A release pin 610 is provided to secure the

casters

606b, 606a in a selected extension. Other mechanisms may be used to extend the distance between caster 606 and the bottom of sleeve 608.

Turning to FIG. 36, in conjunction with FIG. 31, an embodiment is shown in which the elevating walker chair 100 may have two

backrests

702, 704. The backrest 702 is fixed to the end block 126 and therefore rises and falls as the seat 104 moves up and down. The backrest 702 may be secured to any other component that rises and falls with the seat 104, so long as the configuration is compatible with the design and function of the elevating walker chair 100. The backrest 704 may be connected to the frame 118 and thus remain stationary relative to height from the ground when the seat 104 is lowered or raised.

Fig. 39 and 40 depict a top view and an isometric view, respectively, of a seat belt 800 that may be used with the elevating walker chair 100. The seat belt 800 has a stretchable belt portion 802, which may be, for example, an elastic or other stretchable fabric or material. The stretchable band portion 802 is located around the back of the user and extends to the front of the user with each end attached to a stretchable band portion adjustment means 804a, 804b. The stretchable band portion adjustment means 804a, 804b may be used to fit the stretchable band portion 802 to a user. The resilient characteristic of this portion of the seat belt 800 may make it easier and comfortable for a user to transition between an elevating walker chair mode, such as a sitting, standing/walking or high bench mode, for example, to reduce or eliminate unwanted slack and sagging that may occur with conventional belts sliding sitting rearward from the front of the seat at the rear.

Alternatively, or in addition to the stretchable material and adjustment device, the seat belt 800 may employ a retractor. The seat belt material will extend from the retractor. Conventional seat belt retractors include a mechanism configured to lock to ensure that a user is secured in place, for example, upon sudden movement or impact.

To form a complete loop around the user, the seat belt 800 has

front belt portions

806a, 806b. The front strap portion 806a is connected to the buckle portion 808 and the front strap portion 806b is connected to a complementary buckle portion 810. The buckle portion 808 and the complementary buckle portion 810 together form a buckle 820 that secures the seat belt 800 about the user. The buckle 820 may be centrally located in front of the user to facilitate the snap fit.

The

front belt portions

806a, 806b also pass through the stretchable belt

portion adjustment devices

804a, 804b. The stretchable band

portion adjuster devices

804a, 804b may be, for example, three-buckle-band adjuster devices. The

stretchable belt portions

806a, 806b may be made of materials having different degrees of stretchability, depending, for example, on the application of the seat belt, the size of the user, and other user requirements.

The

front belt portions

806a, 806b further pass through

belt adjusters

812a, 812b. The

anchor portions

814a, 814b are connected to the strap adjusting means 812a, 812b. The

anchor portions

814a, 814b are secured to the elevating walker chair 100 at the frame 118 at

frame connections

816a, 816 b. The

anchor portions

814a, 814b may be made of a non-stretch webbing (which may be, for example, semi-rigid) or other material having the necessary durability and ability to secure the user in place as desired while providing any desired flexibility for the user's needs and comfort.

Rings

818a, 818b may be provided to optionally hold the

anchor portions

814a, 814b in place.

Fig. 41A-C depict a strap adjustment device 812 in the form of a cam buckle 840. Fig. 41A shows the cam buckle 840 in a closed position. Fig. 41B depicts the cam buckle 840 in an open position. Fig. 41C shows a cam buckle 840 through which a portion of the strap, such as front strap portion 806, passes. Each cam buckle 840a, 840b is connected to an

anchor portion

814a, 814b at a cam buckle base slot 830.

The cam buckle 840 has a cam buckle base 834 and a cam buckle lever 822 hingedly connected to the cam buckle base at a cam buckle pivot 832. Each cam buckle 840 is positioned with its hinged end toward the front of the elevating walker chair 100. On each of the left and right sides of the seat belt 800, the front belt portion 806 passes between the cam buckle base 834 and the cam buckle lever 822 when the cam buckle lever 822 is rotated to the open position. The front strap portion 806 then passes through the cam buckle slot 824. This allows a portion of the front belt portion 806 to extend rearward from the cam buckle 840. This portion shall be referred to as the band adjustment portion 826. The user can pull the belt adjustment portion 826 forward to rotate the cam lever 822 away from the cam base 834, which allows the front belt portion 806 to slide between the cam base 834 and the cam lever 822 to tighten or loosen the seat belt 800. The selected strap size is locked in place by pulling the strap adjustment portion rearwardly. The illustrative cam buckle 840 shown in FIG. 41B has teeth 828 to secure the front belt portion 806 in place and prevent slippage. Other means of preventing slippage, such as sufficient pressure or non-slip materials, may also be implemented. The cam lever 822 is configured such that when rotated to the closed position, the cam lever will remain closed or be forced closed when the front belt portion 806 is pulled forward at the hinged end of the cam buckle 802, such as when the user leans forward. The front belt portion 806 may be non-stretchable or may be made of a material having a different degree of stretchability, depending, for example, on the application of the harness and other user requirements.

It should be noted that the seat belt 800 may be used in other arrangements and thus the anchoring mechanism may be different. Furthermore, the adjustment mechanism may be different.

Various embodiments of an elevating walker chair and its components have been described. The invention is not limited to the specific embodiments or combinations of elements disclosed. The invention may include various combinations of elements, omissions of some elements, or substitutions of elements with equivalents of such structures. For example, the elevating walker chair may be collapsible or non-collapsible.

Although illustrative embodiments have been described, additional advantages and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details shown and described herein. It is therefore intended that the invention not be limited to the particular illustrative embodiments, but be interpreted within the full spirit and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An elevating walker chair comprising:

a frame having four wheels;

a seat connected to the frame;

an adjustable riser mechanism coupled to the seat, the adjustable riser mechanism comprising:

a parallelogram structure having four pivotally connected links, said parallelogram being connected to said frame at least two of the four pivots;

a spring rotatably extending from a first link of said parallelogram to an adjustable termination point on a second link of said parallelogram to form a lifting triangle, wherein said spring termination point is displaced from a first pivot of said parallelogram; and

a lift force adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position of the spring termination point relative to the first pivot axis; and

a height adjustment mechanism.

2. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 wherein the lifting force adjustment mechanism further comprises:

an arcuate slot having notches configured to engage the spring pin at selected notches, the slot having a radius matching a radius of rotation of an opposite end of the spring when the spring is fully extended.

3. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 wherein the seat is in the form of a saddle.

4. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 further comprising a maximum height adjustment mechanism having:

a height adjustment strut having an internal cross plate extending longitudinally within the height adjustment strut;

the wall of the height adjusting support rod is provided with a series of holes;

the cross plate has a series of holes aligned with the height adjustment strut wall holes;

a maximum height limiter pin;

a compression spring disposed about the maximum height limiter pin;

wherein the maximum height limiter pin extends through a selected height adjustment strut wall aperture and an aligned cross plate aperture to lock the maximum height of the seat; and is

Wherein the maximum height limiter pin is extractable from the selected hole and insertable into other selected holes to adjust the maximum height of the seat.

5. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 wherein the height adjustment mechanism comprises:

a height adjustment strut;

a height adjustment pin associated with and arcuately movable with a parallelogram link;

a compression spring disposed about the height adjustment pin;

wherein the height adjustment pin extends through a selected height adjustment strut wall aperture to lock a selected height of the seat; and is

Wherein the height adjustment pin is extractable from the selected hole and movable to be inserted into another selected hole to adjust the height of the seat.

6. The elevating walker chair of claim 5 further comprising:

a height lock safety mechanism configured such that friction between the height adjustment pin and the height adjustment strut wall hole holds the height adjustment pin in place when the seat is unoccupied; and is provided with

When the seat is balanced or nearly balanced by the lift mechanism, the friction is reduced, thereby allowing the height adjustment pin to be released for retraction.

7. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 further comprising a folding mechanism having:

a hinge connecting the seat with the frame at an outer side of the seat, configured to allow the seat to rotate to an upright position;

two cross arms rotatably connected at cross arm pivots, each end of each cross arm being connected to the frame;

the two cross arms each comprise two articulated parts rotatably connected to each other;

the two cross arms are configured to rotate in a scissor-like manner toward alignment with each other when opposing sides of the frame are brought toward each other and the two hinged parts of the two cross arms are folded down at the hinge;

a seat support frame having two parts hinged in a scissor manner at a first seat support pivot; and is provided with

The seat support frame is further articulated with the seat at a second seat support pivot at a seat bottom.

8. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 having rotatable handles, wherein the handles are rotatable from a front position to a rear position.

9. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 wherein the seat is rotatable and the swivel seat comprises:

a top seat component and a bottom seat component;

a seat pivot extending from a bottom of the seat in the form of a post;

one or more weight-bearing roller assemblies;

each of the one or more roller devices having an arcuate track disposed in the bottom seat part or the top seat part at a radial distance from the seat pivot with the seat pivot as the center of the track pivot; and

a roller disposed on the top member or the bottom member complementary to the track, wherein the roller fits into the track.

10. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 wherein the front wheels are part of a caster device and further comprising:

footrests fixedly connected to the axles of the casters, the footrests configured to steer the elevating walker chair.

11. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 configured to provide clearance for a user's legs to allow the user to push the elevating walker chair with a natural gait.

12. The elevating walker chair of claim 1 further comprising:

a seat belt, comprising:

a belt portion located around the back of the user and extending to the front of the user;

each end of the belt portion being connected to a belt portion adjustment means configured to fit the belt portion onto the user;

a first front belt portion connected with the buckle portion;

a second front belt portion connected to a complementary buckle;

said front belt portion passing through said stretchable belt portion adjustment means;

the front strap portion further passes through a strap adjustment device; and

an anchor strap portion connected to the strap adjusting means and further secured to the frame.

13. The elevating walker chair of claim 12 wherein the strap adjustment device comprises:

two cam buckles, each having a cam buckle base and a cam buckle lever hingedly connected to the cam buckle base at a cam buckle pivot;

each buckle is positioned with the hinged end thereof facing the front of the lifting walking-aid chair;

a front belt portion passing between the buckle base and the buckle lever on each of left and right sides of the seat belt;

the front strap portions each further pass through a cam buckle slot such that a strap adjustment portion of the front strap portion extends rearwardly from the cam buckle, whereby a selected strap dimension is locked in place by pulling the strap adjustment portion rearwardly;

the cam lever is configured such that when rotated to a closed position, the cam lever will remain closed or be forced closed when the front strap portion is pulled forward at the hinged end of the cam buckle, such as when a user leans forward.

14. The elevating walker chair of claim 2 further comprising an auxiliary compression spring to facilitate adjustment of the spring pin in the slot.

15. A seat belt comprising:

a belt portion positioned around the user's backrest and extending to the front of the user;

a first front belt portion connected with the buckle portion;

a second front strap portion connected with a complementary buckle;

said front belt portion passing through said belt portion adjustment means;

the front strap portion further passes through a strap adjustment device; and

16. The seat belt of claim 15, further comprising:

each cam buckle is positioned with the hinged end thereof facing the front of the user;

the front strap portions each further pass through a cam buckle bar slot such that a strap adjustment portion of the front strap portion extends rearwardly from the cam buckle, whereby a selected strap dimension is locked in place by pulling the strap adjustment portion rearwardly; and is provided with

17. An adjustment mechanism, comprising:

a hollow support strut;

the strut has an internal cross plate extending along the length of the strut;

the hollow strut has a wall, wherein the wall optionally has a thickened region;

the strut wall having a series of holes;

the cross plate has a series of holes aligned with the post wall holes;

a pin insertable into the strut wall aperture and the cross-plate aperture to select a desired setting/adjustment.

18. The adjustment mechanism of claim 17 wherein said hollow strut is a support strut.

19. A swivel seat, comprising:

a top seat component and a bottom seat component;

a seat pivot extending from a bottom of the seat in the form of a post;

one or more roller assemblies;

each of the one or more roller devices having a curved track disposed in the bottom seat part or the top seat part at a radial distance from the seat pivot with the seat pivot as a track pivot; and