WO1998038883A1

WO1998038883A1 - Walking aid

Info

Publication number: WO1998038883A1
Application number: PCT/FI1998/000189
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tauno Eerik MÄKELÄ
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-03-03
Filing date: 1998-03-03
Publication date: 1998-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1999-09-03
Also published as: FI970899A0; AU6623798A; FI102033B; FI102033B1

Abstract

A crutch or walking stick according to the invention as good as eliminates the greatest drawback of such aids, namely that they easily fall when the user needs to loosen his/her grip of them for a moment. This drawback is removed by means of a pedestal part (7) according to the invention, having two supporting points via the cylinders (8), arranged at a distance from one another, of the pedestal part, which supporting points touch the ground, wherefore a stick or crutch of considerable sideways stability is provided. This property is exploited when the stick or crutch is left to lean against a support. In addition, the leg (1) and handle parts (2) of the stick or crutch are entirely covered with a non-slip material, such as an elastic rubber material, whereby the stick or crutch can also be left to lean against convex or point-like supports, such as the outside of a car, round tables or pointed corners, independent of the height at which they touch the stick or crutch.

Description

Walking aid

The invention relates to an aid according to claim 1.

A problem for those using a crutch or a walking stick (later termed 'aids') has been where to leave the aid for a moment without the aid falling out of reach as soon as the user loosens his/her grip. A proposed solution to the problem has comprised a loop fitted to the aid. This will help to keep the aid supported by the bend of one's arm or the wrist while the hand is needed for other purposes . However, it is not always possible to keep one's hands in a loop but instead, they need to be totally free. In such a situation one has to find a suitable spot nearby to keep the aid standing. Often, such a good spot is not found, and the aids fall. One has sought an improved capability of staying upright by mounting wall and table supports and different kinds of non-slip devices onto the projecting parts of the aid handles. Hereby, however, the problem remains that the height of possible supports which are within reach and against which the aids could lean does not match that of the supports and non-slip devices mounted onto the aids . A f rther solution has been proposed wherein a hemispherical pedestal is used which is mounted to the lower end of the aid and which is made so heavy that the aid will stand up by itself. The proponent has, however, failed to take into account the fact that this will result in an aid which is so heavy that it is impossible to use. These problems can be removed and the aids can be rendered practically almost completely steady and noncapsizable by using the solution according to the invention, said solution being characterized by what is defined in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Due to the pedestal according to the invention the aid has two points of support which touch the ground whereas aids provided with plug-shaped pedestals normally only have one. Due to the two points of support, an aid of considerable sideways stability is provided. This property can be exploited when the aid is left to lean against a support. Where there is no suitable support within reach, the aids can be supported against the user's body or, when a pair of aids is used, they can be left to lean against one another.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment the aid according to the invention is totally or at least to its essential parts covered with a material of high frictional force, e.g. a velvety rubber material. Therefore, the aid can also be supported against convex and point-like objects in the environment, such as the outside of a car, the corner points of objects, flagpoles, trees, round tables etc. independent of the height at which they touch the aid.

In the following, the invention is described with reference to the annexed drawings .

Fig. l is a front view of the body part of the pedestal of the aid. Fig. 2 is a side view of the body part of the pedestal. Fig. 3 is a front view of the actual pedestal of the aid. Fig. 4 is a side view of the actual pedestal. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pedestal. Fig. 6 depicts aids equipped in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 7 illustrates an alternative construction according to the invention.

Fig. 8 illustrates another alternative solution according to the invention.

In accordance with Figs. 1 to 6, the pedestal of the aid according to the invention comprises an actual pedestal 7 and a body part 3 for the pedestal . The actual pedestal has two cylinders 8 which have a slightly elliptical cross- section and are made of rubber or a similar material and which are connected to each other by means of a flat shaft 9 furnished with mounting holes 10 for additional weights 11. The body part 3 of the pedestal comprises a piece which is made of a flexible material such as rubber and which can be fixed to the lower end of the leg 1 of the aid through its hole, mounting sockets 6 for the cylinders 8 of the pedestal having been provided inside the body part . Between the mounting sockets, the body is machined into a fork 4 to provide a fastening mechanism for the pedestal, whereby the shaft 9 of the pedestal can be fitted therein and secured with a clasp 5 such that the cylinders of the pedestal do not turn but the pedestal can be easily detached and remounted. Due to the elastic material of the body part 3 both cylinders of the pedestal are steadily supported against the ground even when the pedestal hits the ground in an oblique position. In a position of rest the body part brings the pedestal back to a perpendicular position in relation to the leg of the aid. The cylinders 8 of the pedestal are provided with a coating furnished with non- slip devices 12, and a normal coating 13 which can easily be taken to use by turning due to the above-described fixing mechanism of the pedestal .

Additional weights 11 made of a heavy material such as lead can be fitted in the holes 10 which have been machined into the shaft of the pedestal . By means of these additional weights the mass centre of the aid can be brought further down whereby the ability to stay upright of different types of aids can be improved in each individual case .

The leg 1 and handle parts 2 of the aids are entirely covered with a material having high frictional force, such as a rubber mass, wherefore any point in the leg or the handle can be used as a supporting point.

In accordance with Fig. 7, the pedestal 20 may be furnished with two wearing pieces 23 having a rectangular cross- section, the pieces being fitted in a rectangular socket 24. The pieces 23 are symmetrically arranged in relation to the shaft 22 of the aid at a suitable distance from the centre line of the shaft 22, whereby the pieces 23 support the aid essentially perpendicularly to the ground or floor. The perpendicularity is typically only realised on one plane which is perpendicular to the plane formed by the pieces 23 and the shaft 22. Thus, the distance from the outer edge of each piece 23 to the centre line of the shaft

22 is at least essentially identical. Advantageously, the outer edge of the pieces 23 is arranged at a distance of about 2 to 4 cm from the centre line of the shaft 22 of the stick, preferably at about 3.5 cm from the centre line of the stick 22. It is of particular advantage to have pieces

23 which have a square-shaped cross-section, whereby they can be turned 90° in an essentially horizontal direction when the piece 23 is asymmetrically worn during use. For the same purpose the piece 23 can be turned 180° in an essentially vertical direction or, alternatively, the other horizontal surface of the piece can be furnished with a non-slip device such as a stud for icy conditions, whereby the piece 23 is turned in the vertical direction merely in order to take the non-slip device to use (or to take it out of use) .

Fig. 8 illustrates a solution according to the invention where the supporting points 25 constitute the lowermost point of the aid and material has been removed at the centre line of the shaft 22.

In accordance with the invention, the body part of the pedestal may be mounted either inside or outside the tubular leg. Within the scope of the invention the tubular leg may have any cross-section, e.g. a rectangular, triangular, or round one, or an elliptical one.

The invention is not only limited to the above-described example but may vary in many ways within the scope of the claims provided below.

According to the invention, the term 'aid' is also used to refer to skiing aids, i.e. ski sticks, for both crosscountry and alpine skiing.

Claims

Claims :

1. An aid comprising

- a leg part (1) , and

- a handle (2) fitted at the top end of the leg part (1) , as well as

- a pedestal part (3) fitted at the lower end of the leg part,

characterized in that

- the pedestal part (3) has two supporting points

(8, 23, 25) arranged essentially symmetrically in relation to the centre line of the leg part (1) and positioned at a distance from the centre line of the leg part (1) , whereby the supporting points support the aid essentially perpendicularly to the ground.

2. The aid of claim 1, characterized in that mounting sockets (6) for the cylinders of the pedestal and a fork (4) , equipped with a securing clasp (5) , for the shaft (9) of the pedestal are provided in the body part (3) of the pedestal for mounting the pedestal and for detaching it from the body part (3) .

3. The aid of claim 1, characterized in that the material of the body part (3) is elastic such that both cylinders of the pedestal are steadily supported against the ground even when the crutch or walking stick hits the ground obliquely and at a state of rest the cylinder is brought back to a perpendicular position in relation to the crutch or walking stick.

4. The aid of claim 1, characterized in that the cylinders (8) of the pedestal have a wearing surface furnished with non-slip devices (12) , and a conventional wearing surface (13) which can be taken to use by turning the pedestal in the fork of the body part .

5. The crutch or walking stick of claim 1, characterized in that the leg (1) and handle parts (2) of the crutch or walking stick are essentially provided with a surface material having high frictional force, such as rubber mass.

6. The aid of claim 1, characterized in that the pedestal is provided with additional weights (11) of lead or a similar material, whereby the additional weights can be mounted into mounting holes (10) in the shaft of the pedestal part.

7. A crutch or a walking stick furnished with a tubular leg (1) and a handle fixed to the top end thereof, characterized in that it has a body part (3) for a pedestal, made of an elastic material such as rubber and furnished with a hole which fits the lower end of the crutch or walking stick, and two cylinders (8) having a round or slightly elliptical cross-section, the cylinders being made of rubber or a similar material, and an actual pedestal (7) which connects these and is furnished with mounting holes (10) for additional weights (11) and comprises a flat shaft (9) .