Walking stick assisting in climbing stairs

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of medical auxiliary equipment, and particularly relates to a walking stick for assisting in climbing stairs, which comprises a shank bandage, a handle and a height-adjustable support body. The walking stick is characterized in that a user can independently use the shank bandage or the handle or use the shank bandage and the handle in a combined mode to assist movement of the walking stick and keep stability. The height of the support body can be adjusted through adjusting mechanisms such as rotation so as to meet the requirements of different users. According to the design, the structure of a stool is simulated, the stable balance function is achieved by remarkably widening the occupied area of the base plate, the safety of a user when the base plate is used on stairs is remarkably improved, and toppling is prevented. The special design allows the user to use the knee of the affected leg to abut against the top of the support body, and assists the normal leg to go up and down stairs through the strength of the thigh of the affected leg, thereby reducing the physical output of the user with leg fracture, and improving the safety and convenience of climbing stairs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical auxiliary devices, and particularly to a walking stick for assisting in climbing stairs. Background of the Invention

[0002] After a traffic accident, I experienced the pain of a leg fracture. During the recovery period, I deeply felt the challenges of going up and down stairs. My home is on the 4th floor, and I had to go to the hospital for monthly orthopedic X-ray reviews. This challenge inspired my innovative inspiration. Inspired by a 99-year-old grandmother in the village, although she has been disabled in her lower legs since childhood, she can still place a small bench under her knees and can farm, do housework and go up and down stairs normally. The characteristic of this supporting small bench is that it has a widened chassis footprint. So I decided to invent an assisted walking tool based on this. This tool is transformed from a portable telescopic stool at home, equipped with a soft cushion and calf straps sewn by my mother's skillful hands. At the edge of the portable telescopic stool, a walking stick tied with tape is used as a handle, making it safe and easy to go up and down stairs. My innovation lies in simulating the small bench of the grandmother, increasing the chassis footprint of the walking stick to bring stability, the soft stool surface provides knee support, and with the straps and handle, it makes the walking stick easier to use, and users don't need to learn and get used to it, and can use it immediately. The leg straps don't need to be too tight, and the overall cost is very low. The walking stick I invented may be a bit slower in walking speed, but in exchange for more stability and safety. I hope this invention can bring hope to those in distress. Background Art

[0003] Existing walking sticks play an important role in assisting walking, but for users with a single-leg fracture below the knee, there are still many challenges when going up and down stairs. There is also a risk of falling and secondary injury.

[0004] Analyzing patents CN201280063131.3 and CN202410162356.9, the following problems exist with the assisted non-support walking sticks for leg fracture users when going up and down stairs:

[0005] Poor stability: The base area of the existing walking stick is too small to provide sufficient stability, resulting in users losing balance easily when going up and down stairs and increasing the risk of falling.

[0006] Complicated use: The operation of the walking stick is too complicated and requires users to make cumbersome adjustments or bindings, which may cause an additional burden for fracture patients with limited mobility.

[0007] Expensive price: The manufacturing cost of some assisted walking sticks is relatively high, resulting in high prices, which may be unaffordable for patients who only need short-term use and have limited financial means.

[0008] Too tight fixation: The fixation method of some walking sticks is too tight, which may have an adverse effect on leg blood circulation.

[0009] In summary, these problems not only affect the normal use of users, but may also pose potential hazards to the physical health of users. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a stair climbing cane that can effectively solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to solve the above defects and provide a cane for assisting in climbing stairs, including:

[0011] A handle (1), located above the calf strap (2), provides a grip for the user and enhances stability during walking.

[0012] A calf strap (2), located above the support body (3), facilitates binding the calf to the support body (3) and further enhances stability during walking.

[0013] An adjustable-height support body (3), whose top is used for supporting the user's knee and bottom contacts the ground.

[0014] (I) Operating Components

[0015] Function: Used to assist the user in moving the cane and provide stability. The user is allowed to select one of the calf strap and the handle, or a combination of these components, to adapt to different usage scenarios.

[0016] For example, the following combination methods:

[0017] Short-distance flat walking: Only the handle needs to be used, which is convenient for the user to walk easily.

[0018] Climbing stairs: Use a combination of the calf strap and the handle to provide stronger stability.

[0019] (II) Support Body

[0020] The top is covered with a flexible surface for supporting the user's knee, and the bottom contacts the ground.

[0021] Height adjustment method:

[0022] Rotary adjustment mechanism: The height can be easily adjusted by simple rotation, with simple operation and suitable for quick adjustment.

[0023] Modular assembly mechanism: Consists of multiple prefabricated modules, which are connected by connectors. The modules can be selected and combined as needed.

[0024] Stackable layers: The height is adjusted by stacking multiple prefabricated layers. Each prefabricated layer has the same thickness, and the height can be adjusted by adding or removing prefabricated layers as needed.

[0025] Provide support bodies with multiple height sizes to meet the needs of different users.

[0026] Or any combination of the above methods to flexibly and economically adjust the height of the support body.

[0027] (III) Balanced design

[0028] The support body in the design is similar to the various parts of a stool. Specifically:

[0029] The top of the support body is similar to the seat surface of a stool and is used for knee support;

[0030] The support body is similar to the stool body and connects the top of the support body and the bottom of the support body;

[0031] The bottom of the support body is equivalent to the stool base. The bottom contacts the ground, and its raised parts are in fixed contact with the ground. The area of the closed figure formed by the connection lines of these raised parts is greater than or equal to the support contact area of the user's affected leg under normal use conditions. This closed figure area forms a significantly widened chassis footprint area, and by expanding the distribution of the contact points, the overall stability of the crutch is significantly enhanced, effectively preventing tipping.

[0032] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solutions, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0033] Stability and safety: By widening the base area of the bottom of the crutch, enhanced stability is achieved, similar to the balance function of a stool. This design ensures the safety of users when using the crutch on stairs, effectively preventing the risk of tipping and also preventing the leg straps from being tied too tightly, which may have an adverse impact on leg blood circulation. Brief description of the drawings

[0034] Figure 1 Is the front view of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Leg support (1), bottom contact (2), support body (3), calf strap (4.1) and handle (4.2) Specific implementation manners

[0035] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings

[0036] The present invention provides an affordable, easy-to-operate portable telescopic stool crutch combination solution: Use tape to vertically paste a crutch with a handle around the edge of the portable telescopic stool in multiple layers to achieve the combination of the two. This connection method not only has high stability but also is easy to install and disassemble, and is especially suitable for leg fracture patients who only need an auxiliary walking tool for a few weeks. Since the recovery period of most leg fracture patients is about three months, this combination method can meet the short-term use needs of patients. Even if the crutch becomes loose, it can be simply re-pasted without additional tools or complex procedures.

[0037] The following describes the actual applications for each claim in the claims list based on the above actual application examples:

[0038] The handle (1) of the general walking stick is located above the calf strap (2), providing a grip for the user and enhancing stability during walking.

[0039] The calf strap (2) made of nylon material with Velcro is located above the support body (3), facilitating binding the calf to the support body (3) and further enhancing stability during walking.

[0040] The support body (3) of the adjustable-height portable telescopic stool is used for supporting the user's knees at the top and contacting the ground at the bottom.

[0041] The operating component is used to assist the user in moving the walking stick and provide stability, allowing the user to select the operating component as one of the calf strap (2) and the handle (1), or a combination of these components, to adapt to different usage scenarios. For example:

[0042] For short-distance walking on flat ground: Only the handle (1) needs to be used, facilitating easy walking for the user.

[0043] For climbing stairs: It is recommended to use a combination of the calf strap (2) and the handle (1) to provide stronger stability.

[0044] The top of the support body (3) is covered with a flexible surface, and the seat surface of the portable telescopic stool is covered with foam material to increase the comfort when supporting the user's knees.

[0045] The bottom of the support body (3) contacts the ground, and the bottom of the portable telescopic stool contacts the ground.

[0046] Height adjustment of the support body (3):

[0047] Height adjustment mechanism of the portable telescopic stool: It has a structure of multiple nested telescopic annular segments. By rotating these annular segments, the height of the support body (3) can be adjusted. Each annular segment is designed with a structure where the inner and outer diameters are adapted to adjacent segments to achieve smooth telescopic movement and suit the user's knee support.

[0048] Another relatively good combination implementation method: Provide support bodies (3) made of plastic products with different height parameters, which are shaped like an inverted bucket for the user to purchase. As a preliminary adjustment, at the same time, provide the user with several foam pads of the same thickness. These foam pads are stacked and bundled and pasted on the top of the plastic support body (3). The user can further precisely adjust the height of the support body (3) according to personal support needs to meet their best requirements.

[0049] There are other ways to implement the height adjustment of the support body (3). Considering possible future divisional applications, the present invention will further supplement and describe these implementation methods in detail in subsequent applications.

[0050] The support body (3) is a portable telescopic stool, wherein the top of the support body (3) is a stool surface, the support body (3) is a stool body, and the bottom of the support body (3) is a stool base, the bottom is in contact with the ground, and its raised part is fixedly in contact with the ground. The closed figure area formed by the connecting lines of these raised parts is greater than or equal to the supporting contact area of ​​the user's affected leg under normal use. The closed figure area forms a significantly widened chassis footprint, and by expanding the distribution of contact points, the overall stability of the crutch is significantly enhanced, effectively preventing tipping. How to use

[0051] When using the crutch of the present invention to assist walking and climbing stairs, the user should follow the following steps to further improve stability and safety:

[0052] 1. Hold the handrails and handles (1)

[0053] When going up and down stairs, the user should hold the handrail of the stairs with one hand to provide additional support and balance, and the other hand should be placed on the handle (1), and the calf strap (2) should be tied to the calf to ensure that the crutch is firmly supported on the stairs.

[0054] 2. Memory Tips

[0055] Users can recite mnemonics to help remember the order of steps when going up and down stairs.

[0058] The user should always lead with the healthy leg, using the affected leg and the crutch as a secondary, which allows for better stability and safety when ascending and descending stairs.

[0059] 3. Go upstairs

[0060] When going upstairs, the user should step with the healthy leg to the next step first.

[0061] Then, the affected leg and the crutch are moved to the same step by using the handle (1) of the operating unit and the calf strap (2) together.

[0062] The knee of the affected leg is pressed against the top of the support body (3), and the support body (3) and the bottom of the support body (3) are supported. Because the widened chassis occupies an area, the patient can stably maintain stability on the stair steps. Repeating this step will complete the process of going upstairs.

[0063] 4. Go downstairs

[0064] When going downstairs, the user should first use the affected leg and the crutch together through the handle (1) and the calf strap (2) of the operating component to step onto the next step.

[0065] The knee of the affected leg presses against the top of the support body (3) and is supported by the support body (3) and the bottom of the support body (3). Due to the increased floor area of the widened chassis, it can maintain stability on the stair treads smoothly.

[0066] Then, the healthy leg follows to the same step. Repeating this step completes going downstairs.

[0067] This sequence of steps is simple and easy to remember, which helps users form a stable walking habit when using crutches.

[0068] The connection methods involved in the present invention are all prior arts and can be fully realized by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A crutch for assisting stair climbing, comprising: A handle (1) is located above the calf strap (2) and provides a grip for the user to enhance stability while walking; The calf strap (2) is located above the support body (3) to facilitate binding the calf to the support body (3) and further enhance the stability during walking; The height-adjustable support body (3) has a top portion for supporting the user's knees and a bottom portion for contacting the ground: Features: The operating component is used to assist the user in moving the crutch and provide stability, allowing the user to select the operating component as one of the calf strap (2) and the handle (1), or a combination of these components, to adapt to different usage scenarios, such as: Short-distance walking on flat ground: just use the handlebars (1) to facilitate easy walking; Stair climbing: It is recommended to use a combination of calf straps (2) and handles (1) to provide greater stability; The top of the support body (3) is covered with a flexible surface to increase the comfort of the user when supporting with his knees; The height of the support body (3) can be adjusted in the following ways to meet the needs of users to adjust the height easily and economically according to their own needs: Rotary adjustment mechanism: The height can be easily adjusted by simple rotation, easy to operate, suitable for quick adjustment; Modular assembly mechanism: a structure that can be easily disassembled and assembled, consisting of multiple prefabricated modules connected by connectors. The modules can be selected and combined as needed to meet different usage requirements; Stackable layer: A structure whose height is adjusted by stacking multiple prefabricated layers, each prefabricated layer has the same thickness, and the prefabricated layers can be added or removed as needed to achieve height adjustment; In addition, the support body (3) is provided in various heights and sizes to meet the needs of different users; Or any combination of the above methods, so as to flexibly and economically adjust the height of the support body (3), for example, providing support bodies (3) of various sizes for users to choose from, and adjusting the height with the stackable layer on the top of the support body (3) to more accurately adjust the height; The support (3) in the design is similar to the parts of a stool, specifically: The top of the support body (3) is similar to a stool surface and is used for knee support; The support body (3) is similar to the stool body, connecting the top of the support body (3) and the bottom of the support body (3); The bottom of the support body (3) is equivalent to the base of the stool, and the protrusions on the bottom are fixedly contacted with the ground. The closed figure area formed by the connecting lines of these protrusions is greater than or equal to the supporting contact area of ​​the user's affected leg under normal use. The closed figure area forms a significantly widened chassis footprint, and by expanding the distribution of contact points, the overall stability of the crutch is significantly enhanced, effectively preventing tipping.

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