Forearm crutch and carrying handle

Abstract

Forearm crutch (10), comprising - a tubular support body (12), - a support handle attached to and projecting from the support body (12) for gripping the support body (12) and for supporting the support body (12), and - a carrying handle (24) detachably attached to the support body (12) for carrying the forearm crutch (10).

Description

The present invention relates to a forearm support and to a carrying handle for such a forearm support.A forearm support of the generic type is disclosed in DE 20 2006 010 732 U1 and DE 20 2020 000 663 U1. Such forearm supporters have a tubular support body and a support handle fastened to the support body and protruding therefrom for gripping the support body and for supporting on the support body. Forearm supports are used, in particular, in foot, leg or hip injuries in order to relieve the leg or legs, whereby the healing process is improved. In many cases, the person concerned must use two forearm supports, in particular after leg and hip operations, in order to be able to effect the required relief of the leg or legs. In stair climbing, it is necessary to avoid falls that the person concerned grasps the handrail with one hand and supports itself with the other hand on the forearm support remote from the handrail. The second forearm support cannot then be used, but must be carried along, since this is needed again after reaching the end of the staircase. For this purpose, the person usually grasps both forearm hangers with the hand with which the person does not grasp the handrail. The carried forearm support is rotated approximately 90° with respect to the used forearm support and arranged under the support handle, so that the person can grasp with the same hand the used forearm support remote from the handrail on the support handle and the carried forearm support on the support body.However, the situation arises here that neither the support handle as provided nor the carried forearm support can be gripped correctly, whereby the risk increases that the carried forearm support falls out of the hand and / or the person concerned slips off the support handle and falls itself. If the carried forearm support falls, the person is often unable to cancel it again, while if the person falls, there is an increased risk of injury.It is therefore an object of an embodiment of the present invention to specify an forearm support with which the above-mentioned disadvantages can be at least reduced. In particular, a further, unused forearm support should be able to be carried along in a simpler and more secure manner.This object is achieved with the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.One embodiment of the invention relates to a forearm support comprisinga tubular support body,a support handle fastened to the support body and projecting therefrom for gripping the support body and for supporting on the support body, anda carrying handle detachably fastened to the supporting body for carrying the forearm support.The handle can be attached to the forearm support if desired. Forearm supports can therefore be retrofitted with the carrying handle, so that the actual construction of the forearm support can remain unchanged. The carrying handle can be designed such that it can be gripped well by the person together with the support handle of the used forearm support, so that the risk of the person's carried forearm support falling out of the hand is reduced compared to forearm supports without carrying handle. The carrying handle can also be designed such that it can be connected quickly and easily to a carrying strap, a piece of clothing or a backpack which the person is carrying and can be released from it again. In this case, the person can grasp the support handle of the used forearm support as usual, since the hand does not have to hold the carried forearm support as well.According to a further embodiment, the carrying handle has, at least in sections, a thickness which is less than the diameter of the supporting body. The thinner the carrying handle, the better the person can grasp it. At the same time, the person can encompass the support handle almost as intended, so that the risk of it slipping off is reduced.In a further developed embodiment, the carrying handle can be attached to the supporting body by at least one attachment piece that can be plugged onto the supporting body. The fastening piece can be designed in the manner of a clip or latching connection and, in the connected state, engage around the supporting body in a form-fitting manner. Such a fastening piece can be produced in large numbers, for example, by injection molding, for which purpose a plastic suitable for this can be used.In a further developed embodiment, the fastening piece can be designed in such a way that the carrying handle can be displaced along the supporting body when the carrying handle is fastened to the supporting body. The person can place the handle as best fits. It may be appropriate to arrange the carrying handle at the center of gravity of the carried forearm support, whereby the same can be held well horizontal and slagging can be prevented.In a further embodiment, the carrying handle can form a first fastening piece and a second fastening piece. This results in a particularly reliable fastening.A further developed embodiment can be characterized in that the first fastening piece and the second fastening piece are connected to one another by at least one connecting web. The connecting web gives the carrying handle an increased stability and torsional rigidity. In this case, the connecting web can be arranged such that it bears against the supporting body in the connected state, as a result of which the positioning of the carrying handle on the forearm support is improved.A further implementation of the invention relates to a carrying handle for a forearm support, wherein the forearm supporta tubular support body, anda support handle fastened to the support body and projecting therefrom for gripping the support body and for supporting on the support body, andthe carrying handle for carrying the forearm support is detachably attachable or attached to the supporting body.The advantages and technical effects that can be achieved with the carrying handle substantially correspond to those explained for the forearm support according to the invention. In particular, the carried forearm support can be better gripped with the carrying handle, so that, in particular during stair climbing, the risk of the carried forearm support dropping manually and slipping off the supporting handle of the used forearm support is reduced.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings. They show FIG. 1 shows a forearm support according to the prior art, FIG. 2 shows a carrying handle according to the invention which is fastened to the forearm support, FIG. 3 shows a separate illustration of a fastening piece with which the carrying handle can be fastened to the forearm support, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the carrying handle shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 shows a perspective illustration of the carrying handle, FIG. 6 shows an illustration of two forearm braces which can be gripped by a person according to the prior art, and FIG. 7 shows an illustration of two forearm supporters, which can be gripped by a person with the carrying handle according to the invention, in each case on the basis of basic drawings.FIG. 1 shows a forearm support 10 according to the prior art on the basis of a side view, wherein the forearm support 10 is oriented horizontally. In the use position, the forearm support 10 is at least approximately vertically oriented.The forearm support 10 has a tubular support body 12. In the example shown, the supporting body 12 comprises a first tubular piece 14 and a second tubular piece 16, which are introduced into one another and are telescopically displaceable relative to one another in order to adapt the forearm support 10 to the size of the person using it.A support handle 18 is fastened to the support body 12 and protrudes approximately perpendicularly from the support body 12. A person can grasp the forearm support 10 on the support handle 18 and support himself thereon.With reference to the illustration selected in FIG. 1, a guide body 20 is arranged at the right end of the support body 12 and, when the person grasps the forearm support 10, continues at least along the forearm of the person.A support body 22 is fastened to the left end of the support body 12, with which support body 12 can be placed on the ground.FIG. 2 shows a carrying handle 24 according to the invention which is attached to the supporting body 12, for example of the forearm support 10 shown in FIG. 1, to be precise somewhat spaced apart from the supporting handle 18. The carrying handle 24 comprises a first fastening piece 261 and a second fastening piece 262, of which a fastening piece 261 is separately shown in FIG. 3. The first attachment piece 261 and the second attachment piece 262 may be identically constructed and have the same function. It can be seen that the fastening piece 261 is approximately C-shaped, so that it can be clipped onto the supporting body 12 and engage around the tubular supporting body 12. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the fastening piece 261 is provided with an anti-slip covering 28 in order to prevent unintentional slipping along the supporting body 12. Nevertheless, it is possible with a certain amount of force to displace the carrying handle 24 along the supporting body 12 in order to position it as desired. However, the anti-slip coating 28 can be seen purely optionally and is not necessary depending on the configuration of the first fastening piece 261 and the second fastening piece 262.FIG. 4 shows the carrying handle 24 in a plan view and fastened to the supporting body 12 of the forearm support 10, while FIG. 5 shows a separate representation of the carrying handle 24 with reference to a perspective representation. It can be seen that the first fastening piece 261 and the second fastening piece 262 are connected to one another by two laterally arranged connecting webs 30. The connecting webs 30 can bear against the supporting body 12 in the connected state, which, however, does not necessarily have to be the case. The carrying handle 24 has a centrally arranged bracket 32 which extends between the first fastening piece 261 and the second fastening piece 262. The bracket 32 has a thickness D which is less than the diameter DS of the support body 12. Depending on the configuration of the bracket 32, the connecting webs 30 can be dispensed with.The carrying handle 24 can be made of plastic, so that it can be produced, for example, by injection molding or by additive manufacturing methods.FIG. 6 shows two forearm supports 10 according to the prior art, which are arranged such that a person can grasp both forearm supports 10 with one hand. The need to grasp both forearm supporters 10 with one hand can result from stair climbing. After a foot, knee or hip operation, for safety reasons, an existing handrail is basically used with one hand. Here, the handrail-side forearm support 10 must be transferred into the other hand, which is further supported on the support handle 18 of the handrail-remote forearm support 10. The now unused carried forearm support 10 is thus carried along by the hand, which must continue to be supported on the other forearm support 10.For example, if the handrail is on the right side, the left arm continues to use the forearm support 10 to support the body, but the left hand now has to additionally hold the previously right forearm support 10 together.The support handle 18 of forearm support 10 is usually oval, about 3.5 cm high centrally, 2.5 cm wide and has a circumference of about 12 cm. The support handle 18 can be enclosed well with most adult hands, thus being securely gripped. When using stairs, the supporting body 12 of the forearm support 10 to be carried or carried is now still added by about 2 cm due to the diameter DS, which increases the circumference by about 40%, in the example shown to about 16-17 cm, and the height HGs to be engaged to 6 cm (due to the anatomicalally adapted shape of the supporting handle 18, it is not 3.5+2 cm but somewhat more).Now, a firm gripping with frictional engagement between thumb and fingers is no longer possible with most hands and the smaller the hands, the more grip safety is lost. The hand now no longer engages around the support handle 18 "round", but rather in a U-shape. The holding of the second carried forearm support 10 alone requires even higher motor capabilities, because the second forearm support 10 should never fall out of the hand when walking on the staircase.This is sometimes not quite simple for otherwise healthy patients, since the fingers are now no longer "long enough". If the fingers are additionally unable to fully access, e.g. due to OP-related weakness, lack of force, arthrosis, other conditions or just a long age, it will become a "shake record" which creates uncertainty and anxiety, thus promoting a risk of falls.Because of the present height HGs of about 6 cm, not all fingers engage around the support body 12 of the second forearm support 10, which is also because the carried forearm support 10 that is carried more or less horizontally does not extend parallel to the support handle 18, but because of its anatomical grip shape and the vertical support body 12 runs somewhat obliquely and thus easily slags when walking, whereby the grip of the hand that is already weakened because of the circumference can additionally be easily opened.This manner of wearing does not give a feeling of safety. In the case of a trip, in particular down stairs, it is much easier to slip off from the support handle 18 of the forearm support 10 and fall more easily than would be the case, the second forearm support 10 would not increase the gripping circumference as significantly.FIG. 7 shows two forearm supporters 10, one of which is provided with the carrying handle 24 according to the invention. It is now no longer necessary to engage around the supporting body 12 of the carried forearm support 10, but only the significantly thinner bow 32 of the carrying handle 24 (see also FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The height HGe is reduced from the above-mentioned height HGs from 6 cm to approximately 3.5 to 4 cm. Because the bow 32 is flat and narrow, it increases the gripping circumference only insignificantly. The support handle 18 of the used forearm support 10 can furthermore be forcibly enclosed with the fingers. As a result, the supported forearm support 10 also hardly slags. The used forearm support 10 can be packed almost as well and safely as if only these were to be packed and no additional ones were to be packed manually. The feeling of safety is not lost; there are no higher requirements for the use of the forearm support 10, and the risk of an accident is reduced.FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of a carrying handle (24) according to the invention, which is plugged onto the supporting body (12, 16) of the forearm support (10) and is gripped by hand on the curved piece (31).In this embodiment, the handle has only one attachment piece (263) which functions in the same way as the attachment pieces 261, 262 but may deviate somewhat in shape for stability. By using only one fastening piece, the carrying handle is open to one side and can be plugged onto the supporting body in both directions, so that it can additionally fulfil the function of a hook when the user sees a use for this purpose. The bracket piece ( 31) likewise corresponds approximately in height and width to the bracket 32 already illustrated above, but can deviate somewhat therefrom for reasons of stability in terms of shape and material.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 20 2006 010 732 U1

[0002] DE 20 2020 000 663 U1

[0002]

Claims

Forearm support (10), comprising - a tubular support body (12), - a support handle fastened to the support body (12) and protruding therefrom for gripping the support body (12) and for supporting on the support body (12), and - a support handle (24) detachably fastened to the support body (12) for supporting the forearm support (10).Forearm support (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the carrying handle (24) has a thickness (D) at least in sections which is less than the diameter (DS) of the supporting body (12).Forearm support (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the carrying handle (24) can be fastened to the supporting body (12) by means of at least one fastening piece (261, 262) that can be placed on the supporting body (12).Forearm support (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the fastening piece (261, 262) is formed such that the carrying handle (24) is displaceable along the supporting body (12) when the carrying handle (24) is fastened to the supporting body (12).Forearm support (10) according to either of Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the carrying handle (24) forms a first fastening piece (261) and a second fastening piece (262).Forearm support (10) according to claim 5, characterised in that the first fastening piece (261) and the second fastening piece (262) are connected to each other by at least one connecting web (30).Carrying handle for a forearm support (10), wherein the forearm support (10) comprises - a tubular support body (12), and - a supporting handle fastened to the support body (12) and protruding therefrom for gripping the support body (12) and for supporting on the support body (12), and - the carrying handle for carrying the forearm support (10) is detachably fastenable or fastened to the support body (12).

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