[0001] The invention relates to a device for preventing a walking aid from falling over
comprising, attached to the walking aid, a pair of foldable standing legs which are
joined to the walking aid at their upper ends by means of an upper hinging joint displaceable
along the said aid between a lower and an upper position and are also individually
connected with the walking aid by a rod which is hingedly fitted between a fixed lower
hinging joint on the walking aid and a fixed hinging joint on the standing leg.
[0002] One of the most common aids for patients who find difficulty ir- moving about is
the walking aid. Walking aids have a handgrip or a support, for instance for the armpit,
and can be divided into walking sticks, elbow crutches and fore-arm hoop crutches.
The walking aid is used to ambulate. When its user sits down, for instance in a wheel
chair, then it must be possible for the walking aid to be stood within easy reach.
All one-legged aids, however, are prone to toppling, for instance when stood against
a wall.
[0003] From US Patent No. 3,999,565 a walking stick is known featuring two or more foldable
standing legs which make it possible for the aid to be stood upright and which are
so sturdily constructed as to allow the user to transfer his body weight thereonto
by resting a knee on a support which can be folded down from the said stick.
[0004] A disadvantage of this known walking aid is that in ambulating the patient has to
carry along the entire weight of the heavy standing leg assembly.
[0005] The invention provides a device for preventing a walking aid from falling over comprising,
attached to the walking aid, a pair of foldable standing legs, which are joined at
their upper ends to the walking aid by means of an upper hinging joint displaceable
along the said aid between a lower and an upper position and are also individually
connected with a walking aid by a rod which is hingedly fitted between a fixed lower
hinging joint on the walking aid and a fixed hinging joint on the standing leg, the
said device not having the said disadvantage and further being attachable to any walking
aid by simple means.
[0006] This achieved in that the pair of standing legs in extended condition, in which the
upper hinging joint is in its lower position, constitute together with the walking
aid three points of support on a supporting plane, the three points forming an isosceles
triangle in such a way that the projection of the upper hinging joint upon the plane
of support lies within the said triangle, and in that spring means are provided which
assist the movement of the upper hinging joint from its upper to its lower position
and its being maintained in that lower position.
[0007] By these provisions the walking aid can be stood aside in a slightly inclined position
so that its centre of gravity resides over the area of the supporting plane defined
by the three points of support. Therefore, the standing legs can be constructed in
a very light material, e.g. plastics, so that they will hardly add to the total weight
of the walking aid.
[0008] The upward force on the upper hinging joint resulting from the inclined position
of the walking aid is relieved by the spring means, which also support the downward
movement of the upper hinging joint.
[0009] In the isosceles triangle formed by the three points of support, the angle at the
foot of the walking aid is preferably between 60 and 90
0, as it was found that in that case the greatest stability was achieved with the walking
aids in most common use.
[0010] The upper hinging joint is preferably composedof an annular sliding member slidably
embracing the walking aid and having the standing legs articulated to it.
[0011] If the attachment of an annular sliding member is attended with difficulties, the
upper hinging joint can also be composed of a lengthwise and slotted tube attached
with clamping strips parallel to the walking aid. This tube can then receive the sliding
member to which the standing legs are joined.
[0012] Another embodiment of the upper hinging joint can be applied if the walking aid consists
of tubular material. The walking aid is then slotted lengthwise. The sliding member
is inside the tube and hingedly connected with the standing legs.
[0013] The spring means can be fitted below the sliding member and may consist of a helical
spring or a length of elastic strap. The spring means at one end acts on the sliding
member and at the other connects with a fixed point on the walking aid. It exerts
a downward force on the sliding member. In the case of a helical spring this implies
that at rest the coils are closer than in tension, the spring, hence, being an extension
spring.
[0014] It is also possible for the spring means to be disposed above the sliding member.
In this case the use of a compression spring is preferred, i.e. at rest the coils
are wider apart than in compression. In certain cases, e.g. where the upper hinging
joint consists of an annular sliding member surrounding the walking aid, it may be
advantageous for the coils of any extension or compression spring employed to be wound
around the walking aid, the spring at one end residing on or being connected with
the sliding member and at the other having a point of application on the walking aid.
[0015] If the frictional forces between the various components is insufficient to keep the
upper hinging joint in its upper position, means can be provided to secure the upper
hinging joint. This securing means are preferably operated from a point near the handgrip
of the walking aid. They may consist of clamps.
[0016] In order to also assist the user in raising the upper hinging joint from its lower
to its upper position, pulling means can be provided acting on the sliding member
and extending to a point in the vicinity of the handgrip. These pulling means can
consist in, for instance, a length of steel cable, nylon wire, or string.
[0017] With the aid of a few embodiments represented in the drawing, the invention is now
further elucidated.
[0018] The drawing shows in
Fig. 1: a front view of a part of a walking aid provided with a device according to
the invention;
Fig. 2: a side view of a part of a walking device, partly shown in cross-section according
to Fig. 1;
Fig. 3: a side view according to another embodiment of the device according to the
invention;
Fig. 4: a part of the walking aid and the device according to the invention with a
helical spring disposed above the sliding member;
Fig. 5: as in Fig. 4, but with spring means disposed below the sliding member.
[0019] The device according to the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a pair of
standing legs 1. The device is mounted on a walking aid 2. Walking aid 2 in this case
is a walking stick of adjustable length. The portion of the walking stick shown comprises;
part of the tubular upper section 3, the tubular lower section 4, and the rubber shoe
5.
[0020] The device is attached onto walking aid 2 by means of three clamps 6, 7 and 8. A
tube 9 with longitudinal slot 10 is fitted to walking stick 2 by means of clamps 6
and 7. Tube 9 serves as guide for a sliding member 11. The two standing legs 1 are
joined hingingly under an angle to sliding member 11. The legs 1 each possess a free
end 12, 13 and a rod 14, 15. By means of a hinging member 18 the legs 1 are articulated
to the sliding member 11 about the axes 16 and 17, respectively. The rods 14, 15 are
articulated about the axes 19, 20 to the legs 1. The rods 14, 15 are articulated,
near the other end, atout the axes 21, 22, to walking stick 2 by means of a hinging
member 23 and the clamp 8.
[0021] To prevent the legs 1 from collapsing when supporting walking stick 2, a length of
elastic 24 is fitted between clamp 8 and sliding member 11. In stead of elastic also
an extension spring may be used.
[0022] Near the upper end of tube 9, which serves as guide for the sliding member 11, a
clamp or spring 25 is provided, which cooperates with a lip 26 of sliding member 11.
Thus it is possible for the sliding member to be secured in the upper position.
[0023] By pressing one of the legs 1 onto the floor, the sliding member can be raised to
its upper position, where it will be retained by spring 25.
[0024] The legs 1 can be unfolded by a knock on the floor. It is also possible for the spring
25 to be connected with a wire 26 finger-operable in the vicinity of the grip of the
walking stick. By the length of elastic 24 the sliding member 11 will be moved to
its lower position as soon as clamp 25 is released.
[0025] Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the device according to the invention. The guide
for a sliding member 27 is formed by a lower section 28 of the walking stick. In this
embodiment of the device, the legs 29 are folded against walking stick 28. The rods
30, which serve as levers for the legs 29, are hingedly joined by means of adapter
31 to the walking stick 28. Also a clamping member 32 and a length of elastic 33 are
employed to keep the sliding member 26 in its upper or lower position, respectively.
In stead of a length of elastic, also an extension spring can be applied.
[0026] In Fig. 4 an embodiment is represented in which an annular sliding member 34 is employed,
with a compression spring 36 being wound as spring means around walking stick 35 to
exert a downward force on sliding member 34. The helical spring presses against stop
collart 37 disposed above it.
[0027] Fig. 5 shows an embodiment in which the tension spring 38 disposed below the sliding
member 34 also exerts a downward force on the sliding member. Here, in stead of the
tension spring, also a length of elastic, designated with 39, can be employed, which
is connected to the sliding member and to collar 40, which is integral with the lower
hinging joint 41. The stop collar 37 in Fig. 4 and the collar 40 are attachable to
the walking aid by means of clamping screws 42 and 43 respectively.
1. Device to prevent a walking aid from falling over comprising, attached to the walking
aid, a pair of foldable standing legs, which are joined to the walking aid at their
upper ends by means of an upper hinging joint displaceable along the said aid between
an upper and a lower position and are also individually connected with the walking
aid by a rod which is hingedly fitted between a fixed lower hinging joint on the walking
aid an a fixed hinging joint on the standing leg, characterized in that the two standing
legs in extended condition, in which the upper hinging joint is in its lower position
constitute together with the walking aid three points of support on a supporting plane,
the three points forming an isosceles triangle in such a way that the projection of
the upper hinging joint upon the supporting plane lies within the said triangle, and
that spring means are provided which assist the movement of the upper hinging joint
from its upper to its lower position and its being maintained in that lower position.
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in the isosceles triangle, the
angle at the walking aid is between 60g and 900.
3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper hinging joint
is composed of an annular sliding member to which the standing legs are articulated,
the said member slidably embracing the walking aid.
4. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper hinging joint
is composed of a lengthwise slotted tube attached with clamping strips parallel to
the walking aid, inside which tube a sliding member is disposed, to which the standing
legs are articulated.
5. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper hinging joint
is composed of a longitudinal slot in a tubular walking aid with a sliding member
to which the standing legs are articulated displaceably disposed inside the tube.
6. Device according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the spring means
consist of a helical spring or elastic strap disposed below the sliding member and
connected at one end with the sliding member and at the other with the walking aid.
7. Device according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the spring means
consist of a helical spring disposed above the sliding member and stopped at one end
by a stop on the walking aid, the other end pressing against the sliding member.
8. Device according to Claims 3 and 6 or 7, characterized in that the helical coils
of the spring are wound around the walking aid.
9. Device according to any of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sliding member
can be secured in its upper position, the securing means being operable from a point
in the vicinity of the handgrip on the walking aid.
10. Device according to any of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that pulling means
are provided to raise the sliding member to its upper position and that these pulling
means are operable from a point in the vicinity of a handgrip on the walking aid.