Chassis structure for crutches and an assembly thereof with crutches and wheels

Abstract

The object of the invention is a chassis structure and an assembly thereof with crutches and wheels, where the chassis structure comprises a frame in a rolling mode defining a space for pushing off with at least one leg of a user against a walking base, where the frame comprises a front skeleton, two side crutch holders connected or connectable by it, each for holding a different crutch (1 ), and means for attaching the wheels (5, 7) for rotationally connecting the wheels (5, 7) in at least three travel points spaced on the frame to provide stability to the user (16) during the travel, where the chassis structure comprises at least one means for adjusting the movement mode with selection of the chassis structure adjustment into a walking mode where travel on the connectable wheels is prevented, enabling walking movement of the chassis structure together with the user supporting themselves on the crutches, and a selection of the adjustment into the rolling mode for the movement of the user (16) supported by the crutches (1 ) by travelling on the connectable wheels (5, 7).

Description

[0001] Chassis structure for crutches and an assembly thereof with crutches and wheels

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a chassis structure that, after implementation of wheels, forms a chassis for crutches and further relates to a crutch assembly with this chassis, enabling movement on crutches by travelling on wheels.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] In the current state of the art, various medical aids such as wheelchairs and wheeled chairs are usually used to improve mobility of people with lower limb disability. Conventional orthopedic crutches are the cheapest and most accessible aid for users with a long-term or short-term disability of one leg, for example after an accident, with amputation of one leg, or with a weakness in both legs. Forearm clutches or underarm crutches, which make it easier or enable the user to move both indoors and outdoors, are the most commonly used. It is not customary for users who have to practice walking and strengthen their muscles for this kind of movement, and especially for users with a short-term lower limb disability, to purchase an expensive and less accessible wheelchair or other expensive more sophisticated orthopedic aids. Therefore, they are most often dependent on the use of orthopedic crutches, which can also be conveniently used in less accessible narrow spaces, stairways, etc. They are also compact compared to more complex medical mobility devices.

[0006] Orthopedic crutches are usually provided with a non-slip rubbery / rubber contact ferrule at the bottom end, also called a rubber bumper or ferrule. In earlier times, crutches with a simple wooden structure were used. Nowadays, light, rigid, and adjustable crutches mostly made of aluminum or duralumin tubes are produced.

[0007] It is generally known how the orthopedic crutches are used in the standard walking or sliding movement when the user moves, it is a walking movement with a crutch transfer, which offers several ways to shift body weight, for example when one leg is in a cast without a support splint, so the cast / disabled leg cannot not bear weight, the most common use is an alternating arched movement of the bottom ends of the crutches above a base while supporting oneself on the healthy leg, which alternates with pressing the crutches against the base and moving the healthy leg with the disabled leg bent, so in detail this movement can be defined as the user supporting themselves in the direction of their movement on the healthy leg placed on the base while simultaneously lifting the bottom ends of the crutches over the walking base and moving them forward, and this action alternates with pressing the crutches against the walking base and engaging various muscle groups and simultaneously suspending the entire body weight on the crutches and moving the body, including the foot of the healthy leg, by lifting and moving it in a forward movement over the walking base, wherein the impaired / injured leg is usually bent at all times and is not used for support. Alternatively, some users keep the weak or disabled leg extended and may partially lean on it during the phase when they are also leaning on the crutches and use the healthy or stronger leg for support during the second phase while moving the crutches along with the weaker leg. Another variant of the walking movement is when a user with weakness in both lower limbs must lean on both weak legs during the arc transfer of the crutches, and this movement alternates with essentially moving both limbs simultaneously while being suspended on both crutches. Another alternative is, instead of simultaneously moving both limbs, to take two small steps while simultaneously being supported by the crutches and then, standing on both legs, to move the crutches, or alternatively to alternate the individual movements of the crutches. In all these ways of movement, however, the crutches are carried and moved in an arc between each pressing against the walking base, thus defining the walking mode of the crutches.

[0008] A big disadvantage of said walking method of movement using crutches with repeated impacts is that it is slow, very physically strenuous and tiring for a person, so after travelling even a short distance, the user of the crutches is very tired and usually feels pain in the hands and armpits due to muscle strain and unpleasant bruises and contusions that arise during impacts of the weight-bearing crutch on the walking base. These orthopedic aids do not allow for fast movement, movement over longer distances, easy transfer of people with lower limb disability, or comfortable use, which is especially a problem for less physically fit users or users who depend on prolonged use of the crutches for this movement.

[0009] Another disadvantage is that the crutches continually make contact with the walking base, where wet or slippery walking base and a sharper angle of inclination of the crutches, even with the use of nonslip rubber ferrules, can cause a risk of the crutch slipping and the crutch user subsequently falling, and a further injury may arise. The use of these crutches in conditions where the path is slippery or over long distances appears to be very disadvantageous and dangerous for the above reasons.

[0010] Summary of the Invention

[0011] The object of the present invention is to facilitate or enable faster, less strenuous and safe movement for crutch users, even over longer distances, to enable changing the methods of movements while retaining the advantages of the standard orthopedic crutches, for example the affordability and light weight, enabling accessibility to some less accessible spaces or use in multiple kinds of terrain, and simultaneously enabling easy transfer of the entire crutch assembly with accessories. This object is accomplished by a chassis structure of the invention that comprises a frame that, in the rolling mode, defines a space for pushing off with at least one leg of the user against a walking base, where the frame comprises a front skeleton, two side crutch holders connected or connectable by the front skeleton, each for holding a different crutch, and means for attaching the wheels for rotationally connecting the wheels at at least three travel points spaced on the frame to provide stability to the user during the travel, where the essence of the invention lies in the fact that the chassis structure comprises at least one means for adjusting the movement mode, which allows to select between two movement modes for the movement of the user together with the crutches and the chassis structure, where it is possible to change between: first mode selection, which prevents travel on connectable wheels where the chassis structure is adjusted to the walking mode of the movement, where by leaning on the crutches, the user presses, either directly or indirectly, against the walking base by support faces implemented on the bottom of the crutches and / or on the chassis structure or on the connectable wheels in the non-rolling adjustment, wherein they push off with at least one leg, followed by a phase of transferring the crutches forward with at least one leg being supported on the walking base; and this first movement mode selection can be changed by a second mode selection by an adjustment to a so-called rolling movement mode for the movement of the user supported by the crutches by travelling on the wheels connectable to the chassis structure and pushing off with at least one leg of the user against the walking base; for example, this means for adjusting the movement mode is implemented in such a way that it enables the tilting of at least a part of the chassis structure or the individual parts thereof relative to the crutch holder such that in the system with crutches, the chassis structure or part thereof can be tilted towards the crutch / crutches and fixed for the walking mode and, conversely, released and tilted away from the crutch / crutches for the rolling mode.

[0012] The above chassis structure can be produced in a complete assembly or as an integral part of the assembly with crutches and / or wheels, however, it can also be produced and marketed independently and separately from other parts of the assembly with the purpose of subsequent implementation of the wheels in the chassis structure, thereby forming a chassis, and further in the chassis assembly with the orthopedic crutches, wherein the advantages of the chassis structure will become evident when used in the assembly with wheels and crutches, as it allows users with a lower limb disabilities to move very quickly and safely even over longer distances without much effort, by utilizing the movement mode selection of the assembly between the walking mode similar to that of conventional crutches and the rolling mode depending on the needs and terrain.

[0013] The adjustment of the assembly with the chassis into the rolling mode results in a rolling mobile means that fills the gap between a conventional orthopedic crutch and a wheelchair, or combines the advantages of these two mobile aids on the one hand and eliminates some shortcomings of both aids on the other hand. In the rolling mode, the chassis structure assembly of the invention has parts of the chassis positioned in such a way that it allows a smooth, fast, and safe movement forward by pushing off with the one healthy leg, similar to that of a scooter but with the difference that the user is still suspended and supported by the crutches during the travel instead of standing on the chassis as with a scooter, although, for example, while travelling downhill when there is no need for pushing off, the user may also stand with the healthy leg, which would otherwise be used for pushing off, on the frame and does not need to push off. By adjusting the assembly into the walking mode, the parts of the chassis of the assembly are positioned in a way that allows the crutches to be used in the conventional way, i.e., by transferring them forward and using them for support while moving the body of the user forward, which is a more suitable way of movement on, for example, a very uneven or very rugged walking base, wherein the chassis is transferred and moved together with the crutches.

[0014] An advantage is a reasonable financial burden for both the user and the provider of this mobile medical aid. An advantage over a wheelchair is the ease of manipulation and minimal storage requirements in a flat, restaurant, car, or office.

[0015] The front skeleton of the frame is most preferably composed of two separate front arms that are connected. The front skeleton of the frame as a whole connects the crutch holders in such a way that creates a space in which the user can move their legs, or at least one of their legs, in order to be able to push off during the transfer on the crutches. This means that it is not a straightforward connection of the crutch holders via the front skeleton of the frame, but the front skeleton of the frame must bypass this space for the movement of the limbs, for example, in an arched way, it can therefore have various shapes, for example the shape of the letter Y with a short stem, V, U, square U, and differently beveled or extended variants of the letter U, cut-out circles / ellipses / polygons.

[0016] In the simplest embodiment, the means for attaching the wheel may be a through opening in the frame structure through which the wheel is rotationally mounted on the wheel shaft and secured by a bolt and a nut. The means for attaching the wheel may also be, for example, a hinge of the wheel, which is preferable especially in the case of a front wheel, where this hinge is mounted on a vertical pin to allow this wheel to turn, or it may be a more sophisticated holder, which can be used, for example, to tilt or otherwise adjust the wheels. The means for attaching the wheels in the rolling mode are also spaced on the frame according to the number of the wheels, for example at the vertices of a triangle, quadrilateral, or polygon. They must be spaced on the frame in such a way as to provide sufficient stability for the user during the travel, i.e., they are not placed all in one row or near one point on the structure but are distributed such that the chassis structure can move stably and not tilt to the sides. The means for attaching the rear wheels, and thus also the rear wheels, follow the crutches during the travel, i.e., they are placed behind the crutches during the travel, most preferably they are mounted on the rear arms of the frame, which protrude in the direction behind the crutches in the direction of travel. Most preferably, these means for attaching the rear wheels are at a closer distance to the crutch than the distance of the most distant means for attaching the wheels on the front skeleton of the frame in the space in front of the crutches. For example, the spacing of the wheels at three travel points, where the front wheel is at the center of the front skeleton of the frame, at a greater perpendicular distance from both crutches than the rear wheels, provides sufficient stability for the user during the travel, for example at a perpendicular distance of the rear wheels from the crutches of 8 to 30 cm and at a perpendicular distance of the front wheel from the crutches of 40 to 80 cm. Stability can be increased, for example, by increasing the number of the wheels or by lengthening the rear arms or front skeleton / front arms of the frame.

[0017] Both the rear arms of the frame and the front skeleton of the frame may be, for example, made of light aluminum or duralumin alloys, carbon fibers, or similar rigid and light materials. They can have, for example, a round, elliptical, square, rectangular, or other profile.

[0018] The means for adjusting the movement mode between the walking mode and the rolling mode may be implemented in a number of ways, for example, see the exemplary embodiments. In the walking mode, the wheels may be inverted, raised upwards or otherwise lifted above the walking base such that they do not touch it with their rolling surfaces, and the user is supported by the crutches, wherein the entire structure is presses against the walking base using the support faces, in particular the support faces of the crutch, which are stable and do not move in a rolling motion. In the rolling mode, on the other hand, the support faces are lifted above the walking base such that they do not touch it, and the wheels are in contact with the walking rolling surface and can move in a rolling motion. The rolling surfaces of the wheels are only those surfaces on which the wheels roll on the base.

[0019] The dependent claims represent preferred embodiments of this invention.

[0020] For example, the frame can comprise two means for adjusting the movement mode, implemented on the holder of each crutch separately such that each crutch holder includes a joint body with at least one joint pin, where on this joint pin, each crutch holder has: a rotationally mounted different tilting rear arm carrying at least one means for attaching the rear wheels and, further, on one common or another such joint pin in the same joint body, a tilting front skeleton of the frame, or a front arm as a part of the front skeleton of the frame, is rotationally mounted, wherein the front skeleton carries at least one front wheel holder.

[0021] There may be one common joint pin for the rear arm and the front skeleton in each crutch holder, or alternatively, the rear arm can be mounted rotationally on one joint pin and the skeleton of the frame or only a part thereof, for example the front arm, can be mounted rotationally on the second pin.

[0022] The means for adjusting the movement mode in this arrangement further comprises means for fixing the frame in the rolling mode, which are: for example, on each joint body, a locking means of the skeleton and a rotation stop of the front skeleton of the frame around the joint pin for adjusting a fixed angle of inclination of the crutches relative to the front skeleton of the frame, in which the front skeleton is stopped in a position for the rolling mode and secured by said locking means of the skeleton, and further, for example, the rear arms or the front skeleton or the crutch holder comprise stops or stopping protrusions for stopping the rotation around the joint pin and also for bracing the rear arm against the front skeleton of the frame or against the crutch holder such that the support faces, which are in particular the support faces of the crutches, do not touch the walking base during the travel. The means for adjusting the movement mode also comprises means for fixing the frame in the walking mode: for example, a means for fastening the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof at a height, for example by fastening to the crutch after lifting it / them by rotating around the joint pin so as to hold all wheels at a height level above the ground during the walking movement, such means may be, for example, a clamp / attachment on the crutch or on the crutch holder, and, for example, a support for the rear arms to fix them at a height level above the ground, e.g., it may be an additional stop on the chassis structure to prevent the wheels from falling further to the ground when the rear wheels are lifted and rotated around the joint pin, or again an attachment on the crutch or the crutch holder, or alternatively, for example, the rear arms may be tightened and stabilized in that position by tightening a bolt on the joint pin relative to some stopping element.

[0023] The front skeleton of the frame, or the front arms thereof, is tilting thanks to this embodiment, just as the rear arms of the frame serve as tilting arms. The means for attaching the rear wheels, and thus the connected rear wheels, are in this arrangement tilted out and tilted in, and possibly also extended and retracted, on the separately tilting rear arms.

[0024] The folded in front skeleton of the frame, or the front arms thereof, is locked in a stable position at a height to prevent interference with the walking movement in the walking mode and to avoid slipping due to movement on the wheel.

[0025] An advantage of this solution is the simplicity of implementation and realization, however, a more sophisticated alternative solution can also be used at the expense of increased cost.

[0026] Alternatively, the front skeleton of the frame, or the front arms thereof, as well as the rear arms of the frame need not be positionable relative to crutch holder, i.e., the means for adjusting the movement modes can be implemented without rotationally movable arms around the joint pin, and for the walking mode, the wheels can be adjusted by, for example, lifting them, or by inclining them, for example, via adjustably implemented means for attaching the wheels.

[0027] Exactly one means for attaching the front wheel is preferably created on the front skeleton of the frame, into which a single front wheel can be mounted. The advantage of using exactly one wheel on the front skeleton is the lightness of the chassis. Alternatively, for example to increase stability, the front skeleton of the frame can have multiple means for attaching the wheels, for example two, three, four, etc. Similarly, each rear arm may include means for attaching the wheels for more than one wheel.

[0028] Axially symmetrical distribution of the wheels about the central axis of the chassis structure in the direction of travel is also preferable, which generally provides a greater stability for the user, but sometimes, for example, when pushing off with the right leg, it may be more preferable to have the front wheel placed more to the left, or off-axis, which may also be preferable, for example, because of the implementation of additional disconnectable or adjustable mechanisms on the other half of the frame. In a preferred embodiment of the chassis structure, the front skeleton of the frame is separable into two separate front arms that are connectable by a quick coupler for the rolling mode and separable for the walking mode. In the walking mode, each front arm is rotational on the joint pin independently of the rotation of the other arm, and each arm can be tilted towards the crutch that is carried by the crutch holder simultaneously carrying this front arm and fixable to the crutch by a separate means for fixing the frame in the walking mode.

[0029] The quick coupler can be implemented, for example, as a flexible clamp, quick-release lever, magnets, etc.

[0030] Both the rear arms and the front arms are again implemented as tilting arms, which, when using the crutches in the conventional way of walking movement, are tilted towards the crutches, and thus do not interfere and allow the crutches to be supported by the support faces. Tilting the chassis part completely towards the crutch moves the center of gravity of each crutch with its attached accessories higher, which allows for easier manipulation when carrying the crutches with the parts of the chassis compared to a situation when the parts of the chassis are partially or completely tilted away. The arms folded in or tilted towards the crutch are locked in a stable position, for example using a clamp or otherwise. For the travel, the rear and the front arms are in turn tilted away, the front arms are connected using quick coupler to form a continuous front skeleton of the frame and the chassis structure with the wheels is thus unfolded on the ground such that the connected wheels touch the ground and the support faces are lifted at a level above the ground so as not to impede the travel so it can be used for the travel on the crutches.

[0031] An advantage of this embodiment is that it allows each crutch with a part of the chassis to be manipulated / moved separately, and thus it is possible to distribute the weight of the chassis into two parts, in particular preferably in such a way that the quick coupler and thus also the possibility to divide the front skeleton of the frame is approximately in the middle of the front part of the skeleton such that the weight of the skeleton is divided into approximately two equal halves, which may be further adjusted depending on whether the front skeleton includes an even or odd number of wheels such that the weight of the divided skeleton on each side is approximately equal. In that case, in walking mode, where preferably half of the weight of the chassis is carried along with the crutch during conventional transfer of the crutches, both upper limbs are equally loaded. However, it is also possible to create a solution in which the front skeleton of the frame is disconnected near one of the crutches and accordion-style folded and fixed at the other crutch. In this way, one of the crutches becomes heavier, but the crutches can occasionally be swapped in this walking method, or alternatively, a shopping bag can be hung on the lighter crutch, bringing the weight load on both sides closer again.

[0032] Preferably, after tilting the arms away into the rolling mode, the ends of the front arms distant from the crutches are connected by the quick coupler and possibly also secured by the locking element of the quick coupler to prevent spontaneous disconnection. For the walking mode and movement by transferring the crutches or, for example, when storing the crutches, etc., the front arms at the distant end from the crutches are again disconnected and separated and tilted towards the crutch and attached to it by the means for fastening the front skeleton or a part thereof at a height, for example, to the crutch / crutches, for example by fastening the front arm using a clamp, magnet, buckle, or otherwise implemented means for fixing the frame in the walking mode.

[0033] The distance between the crutch holders is preferably adjustable by a means for adjusting the span of the front skeleton of the frame. The advantage of adjustability to the user’s measurements is that the invention can be adapted to different body types of users, which have different body constitutions, so that they can have the crutches at a suitable distance from each other, for example based on the distance between the shoulders or armpits, and so that an unsuitable crutch distance does not make it uncomfortable and difficult for them to move.

[0034] Another object of the invention is a chassis, which is the chassis structure in any of the above variants provided with wheels, i.e., there is a rotationally mounted wheel in each means for attaching the wheel. The wheels can be simple or they can be implemented as double wheels, for example. The chassis ideally comprises only three wheels, but embodiment with more wheels is also possible to increase the stability during the travel at the expense of increasing the weight of the chassis.

[0035] The wheels and the chassis can be produced and sold separately, they can be produced as spare parts and, according to the wear, only the necessary part can be replaced, which is advantageous, for example, in an orthopedic equipment rental shop, where replacing a part of the product is more economical and environmentally friendly than replacing the whole product, wherein the replaced part provides the same advantages as the original product.

[0036] For example, in an improved embodiment with separable tilting front arms, all front and rear tilting arms are fitted with a wheel, or alternatively the rear arms and only one of the front arms are fitted with a wheel and the other of the front arms does not have its own front wheel, wherein after the arms are tilted away for the rolling mode, the front ends of the front arms are rigidly connected together and only one front travel wheel is used for the travel forward for both arms.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the forward movement of the chassis and the pushing off with a leg in the rolling mode can be combined with a battery-powered drive motor, this drive being controlled via a controller, for example by a button on the crutch handle. The motor can be placed so as to drive the front or rear wheel, or even multiple wheels simultaneously. In this embodiment, the user's travel may preferably be fully driven by the motor, and the user does not have to expend physical effort to push off the walking base, or for example, when traveling uphill or over longer distances, their travel may be made easier this way.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the wheels is mounted on a hinge rotational on the vertical pin for correcting the direction of travel, i.e., on a bearing that allows for a correction of the direction during the travel with these crutches and facilitates turning. It is also possible to further facilitate the turning of such a wheel / wheels for the user, for example by a turning servo motor so as to allow for smooth turning and control of the wheels during the travel using a controller, for example by means of a joystick placed on the crutch handle. The term "vertical" means perpendicular to the walking base in the rolling mode. The chassis can also be produced separately and then implemented in the assembly by attaching the orthopedic crutches, which are commonly available on the market, or during the production, some parts of the chassis, for example the crutch holder, can be produced directly as an integral part of the crutch, or it can be inseparably attached, for example, by welding or detachably but permanently attached during assembly or production, for example by clamping using pins and mounting using bolts between plates I angle brackets etc. Another variant can be also a chassis to which conventional existing crutches can be quickly mounted by the user or it can be separated from the crutches at any time if required. The current state of the art does not provide chassis with removable existing crutches that would allow the movement mode to be changed / adjusted. Alternatively, such a chassis can be stored in case the user decides to use only crutches without the chassis. For this purpose, for example, an openable crutch holder can be produced, into the interior of which the crutch can be inserted and after closing the crutch, the crutch holder can be secured by closing it with, for example, a lock / latch, etc., or, for example, quick-release sleeves of the crutch can protrude from the crutch holder, etc. For example, forearm clutches, underarm crutches, or hybrids thereof can be used, for example underarm crutches can have a hand grip similar to that of a forearm clutch, etc. For travel on crutches, underarm crutches are more preferred, as they allow one’s body to be suspended in the armpit, and preferably they can be quickly removed / connected by the user whenever they decide to disconnect or connect them.

[0039] Crutches fitted with the chassis of the invention slightly increase the cost of standard orthopedic crutches but only negligibly compared to the cost of a wheelchair.

[0040] The weight of the system with the crutches slightly increased by the weight of the chassis is in principle not as significant in terms of the user's strain and does not outweigh the overall advantages brought by the combined solution, which on the other hand considerably reduces the user's strain during the travel and with the possibility of alternating at least two movement modes, possibly with the additional assistance of an electric drive.

[0041] In the basic embodiment, it is assumed that the bottom ends of the crutches, i.e., if they are provided with the rubber ferrules, the bottom faces of the rubber ferrules are used as support faces for support and pushing off in the case of the conventional walking method of movement.

[0042] Alternatively or additionally, a solution in which the front skeleton of the frame is not folded in for the walking mode but the wheels are lifted and the support face is implemented on the bottom side of the frame can also be considered, most preferably this support face is provided with a rubbery surface. Another variant is that the wheels are tilted into the walking mode so that they press against the base, for example, with their lateral sides serving as the support face, where the wheels do not allow rolling movement but still can be used as a support. In these variants, the frame or inverted wheels in the walking mode remain in contact with the walking base, the assembly is more stable, but it is a less preferred variant due to the lower flexibility, speed, and higher physical strain during the movement.

[0043] In a further improved embodiment, the crutch and chassis assembly comprises automated tilting of the rear arms and the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof, for example the front arms, away and towards the crutches controllable via a controller. For example, electric tilting using tilting motors or tilting servo motors is suitable. An advantage of the automated method of tilting is the facilitated tilting of the parts of the frame for the user and more convenient manipulation.

[0044] Description of Drawings

[0045] A summary of the invention is further clarified using exemplary embodiments thereof, which are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: fig. 1 shows schematically the crutch and chassis assembly of this invention in a lateral view, fig. 2 shows the user’s travel on the crutch and chassis assembly of this invention, fig. 3 is a diagram of the chassis with the indication of connected crutches in a front top view, fig. 4 is a diagram showing the crutch holder with the joint pin and the front and rear arm of the frame connected thereon, adjusted for the rolling mode, fig. 5 is a diagram of the crutch assembly with a part of the chassis having the front and rear arm mounted to the crutch and adjusted in this way for the walking mode, fig. 6 shows schematically the crutch and chassis assembly of the sixth preferred embodiment of this invention in a lateral view, fig. 7 is a schematic depiction of the connection of free ends of the front arms by a quick coupler and with a rigid weld between the short stem and the long branch - without the possibility to adjust the width of the span of the front arms, fig. 8 is a schematic depiction of the connection of free ends of the front arms by the quick coupler and with a movable connection between the short stem and the long branch - with the possibility to adjust the width of the span of the front arms, fig. 9 is a schematic representation of a possible mounting of the crutch in the crutch holder with a split joint - viewed from above, fig. 10 is a schematic representation of a possible mounting of the crutch in the crutch holder with the joint welded to the crutch inner tube - viewed from above, fig. 1 1 is a diagram of the connection between the rear arm and the front arm and the crutch holder in a lateral view, fig. 12 indicates the walking movement of the user of the crutch and chassis assembly of this invention, where the chassis is divided into parts and each such part is tilted towards the corresponding crutch, fig. 13 shows schematically the crutch and chassis assembly of this invention in an embodiment with two front wheels in a lateral view, fig. 14 is a diagram of the assembly of the right crutch with the right part of the chassis having the right front and right rear arm mounted to the right crutch and adjusted for the walking mode, fig. 15 is a diagram of the assembly of the left crutch with the left part of the chassis having the left front and left rear arm mounted to the left crutch and adjusted for the walking mode.

[0046] Exemplary Embodiments of the Invention

[0047] The invention will be further clarified using exemplary embodiments with reference to the respective drawings.

[0048] The basic and first example of the embodiment involved the creation of a chassis structure suitable for subsequent implementation with wheels 5, 7 to form a chassis 15, and further to form an assembly with crutches 1 . The chassis structure had a frame in the shape of the letter U, wherein inside this U-shaped frame, there was a space in which a user 16 could stand or move, for example, by pushing off with a leg against a walking base, could move both legs therein, etc. Alternatively, the letter shape can be replaced by similar shapes forming this space, for example, the shape of the letter V, square U, square U with a pointed base, etc., it can be implemented as a part of a triangle or polygon with a rear part or a side cut out, or with differently rounded shapes - for example, as a part of a cut-out circle. This frame comprised two side crutch holders, and these were connected by a front skeleton of the frame, and further, the frame also comprised two rear arms 6 in the rear part thereof. Each rear arm 6 comprised a means for attaching the rear wheel 7, and the front skeleton of the frame comprised, at its most distant point from the crutch holders 19, a means for attaching the front wheel 5, for example, a hinge of the front wheel 5 with an opening for mounting thereof by pulling the wheel shaft through this opening and securing it with a bolt on the other side of the opening, where this hinge was further secured to the front skeleton of the frame. In other variants of this exemplary embodiment, two means for attaching the front wheels 5, and in yet another variant, three means for attaching the front wheels 5 such that one front wheel 5 was on the front and two at the sides of the front skeleton of the frame, were placed on the front skeleton of the frame closer to the front of the frame, taken in the direction 17 of travel. In the basic exemplary embodiment, the means for attaching the wheels 5, 7 were distributed symmetrically about a central axis of the chassis structure extending in the direction 17 of travel, however, asymmetric distribution is also possible. The basis of this solution was the use of the means for adjusting the movement mode, which allowed the wheels to be adjusted between the rolling and the walking mode, where in the rolling mode the user 16 could ride while leaning on the crutches 1 and push off with a leg against the walking base, the user 16 could also adjust the assembly to the second so-called walking mode, in which the wheels were non-rolling and the movement was made by moving the crutches 1 while pressing with the healthy leg against the walking base, which was combined alternately with shifting the body's center of gravity including moving the healthy leg forward while being supported by the crutches 1. When supported by the crutches 1, the whole assembly or just the crutches 1 were pressing against the travel base by the support faces in contact with this base. Mainly the lower ends of the crutches 1, i.e., the bottom faces of the rubber ferrules, which in the walking mode touched the walking base, served as the support faces. It was also possible to add additional support faces to the bottom of the frame depending on which of the below-suggested variants of the means for adjusting the movement mode the exemplary embodiment comprised. If the means for adjusting the movement mode was based on lifting the front skeleton of the frame or parts thereof, the bottom faces of the rubber ferrules 12 of the crutches served as the support faces. However, if the wheels 5, 7 for entering the walking mode were tilted, retracted, or lifted only on the holders of the wheels 5, 7 and the rest of the front skeleton of the frame was not lifted, in the development, additionally and, in another variant, alternatively they were formed as support faces of the bottom part of the frame fitted with rubber, or the inverted wheels 5, 7 themselves served for non-rolling supports - in the inverted position when they were unable to move, but it was possible to lean on parts thereof. The travel circumferential sides of the wheels 5, 7 on which the wheels roll are not considered in this context as support faces, the support faces are the bottom ends of the crutches 1, or their rubber ferrules 12, possibly also the bottom faces of the chassis 15, i.e., possibly also selected lateral faces on the wheels which are not used for travel and which do not rotate during the walking movement of the crutches 1 and are used for support during the walking movement of the crutches 1.

[0049] Thus, the means for adjusting the movement mode enabled use in two modes, on the one hand, the adjustment of the wheels 5, 7 to the first, i.e., walking mode allowed the user 16 to move by alternately supporting themselves by the crutches 1 acting on the support faces pressing against the walking base when pushing off with at least one leg, alternating with transferring the crutches 1 forward with at least one leg pressed on the walking base, and, on the other hand, to the second rolling mode for movement of the user 16 supported by the crutches 1 by moving the crutches 1 travelling on the wheels 5, 7.

[0050] In the basic exemplary embodiment, several variants with the means for adjusting the movement mode were proposed and these were tested with the wheels 5, 7 and crutches 1 implemented: a) The means for attaching the wheels 5, 7 tilted the wheels 5, 7 from their rolling mode to the walking mode so that the wheels 5, 7 were stored with the discs thereof horizontally above the floor and the part of the means for attaching the wheels 5, 7 had a rubberized surface that served as support faces so that the user 16 could move the crutches 1 and press on these support faces, or the crutches 1 were raised to such a level that also the bottoms of their rubber ferrules were used as support faces. The wheels 5, 7 could also be secured by locking against rotation. b) The means for attaching the wheels 5, 7 were on extendable means, so it was possible to extend the wheels 5, 7 to the walking base and retract them above the level of the walking base. c) The front skeleton of the frame and the rear arms 6 were tilting such that they could be tilted away for adjusting into the rolling mode and tilted in for adjusting into the walking mode. Depending on the shape and length of the frame, it was possible to tilt it fully towards the crutches 1, but if this interfered with the walking movement, the tilt towards the crutches 1 was stabilized at a height above the ground but still at some distance from the crutches 1 such that the user 16 could move and the front skeleton of the frame did not interfere with the movement.

[0051] The above variant c) was further developed in the basic embodiment using two means for adjusting the movement mode implemented such that each crutch holder was simultaneously a joint body 2 with a joint pin 3, where on each joint pin 3 there was a rotationally mounted tilting rear arm 6 of the frame carrying the means for attaching the rear wheels 7, and further, there was simultaneously a rotationally fitted tilting front skeleton of the frame on this joint pin 3. The means for adjusting the movement mode comprised such means for fixing the frame in the rolling mode that each joint body 2 had a locking means 8 of the front skeleton and a rotation stop 14 of the front skeleton of the frame around the joint pin 3 for adjusting a fixed angle, the inclination of the crutches 1 relative to the front skeleton of the frame, most preferably to 90°, in which the front skeleton was stopped for the rolling mode and secured by said locking means 8 of the front skeleton, outlined in fig. 3, for example, or by a spring-loaded self-snapping locking means, or alternatively by a strut that disassembles and fastens the crutches at a certain height above the crutch holder and at the same time fastened at a distance from the crutch holder to the front skeleton of the frame. Further, the front skeleton of the frame comprised stops for bracing each rear arm 6 in the rolling position as additional means for fixing the frame in the rolling mode at such an angle relative to the front skeleton of the frame that the walking support faces did not touch the walking base during the travel. The rear arms 6 were always rotated around the joint pin 3 for adjustment from the walking to the rolling mode such that the structure was unfolded and the rear arms 6 were tilted back in a direction away from the crutches 1 until they were stopped by the stop on the front skeleton of the frame when the angle between the front skeleton of the frame and the rear arms 6 was such that the entire chassis 15 stood on the wheels 5, 7 and the support faces were above the level of the walking base such that they did not touch it and there was no friction between them and the base during the travel, which is depicted in figs. 1 and 2, where both the front and the rear wheels are travelling on the base and the rubbery ferrule has the bottom part at a distance from the base at a certain height. In a variant of this embodiment, two joint pin 3 were implemented in each joint body 2, where the first of these joint pins 3 was a rotationally mounted rear arm 6 and the front skeleton of the frame was rotationally mounted on the second of the joint pins 3.

[0052] The means for adjusting the movement mode also comprised means for fixing the frame in the walking mode such that during the walking movement, the circumferential sides of the wheels 5, 7 used for the travel did not touch the ground, in this exemplary embodiment, two telescopic and tilting attachments of the front skeleton were used for fastening at a height at some distance from the crutches 1, and the front skeleton was fastened into them and the front wheel / s was / were thus kept above the ground level. Alternatively, clamps, a magnetic attachment, a mechanical clip, etc. were possible. Furthermore, stops were implemented on the front skeleton as means for fixing the frame in the walking mode that, for each of the rear arms 6, prevented the wheels from falling further to the ground in front of the crutches 1 when the rear wheels 7 were lifted and rotated on the rear arms around the joint pins 3. Alternatively, the stop can be supplemented with a lock.

[0053] For use, the wheels 5, 7 were attached to this frame of the chassis structure of the aforementioned variants of the basic embodiment. Further, the crutches 1 were attached to the assembly of the chassis 15 and the crutches 1, for example permanently, for example, by bolts and clamp for crutches 1. In an improved variant, the crutch holder 19 was implemented such that the user 16 alone could quickly attach and remove the crutches at any time and no complex assembly was necessary, for example, an openable crutch holder was used, into the interior of which the crutch 1_ could be inserted and which, after closing the crutch 1_ holder, could be secured closed by snapping it into place, or even secured with an additional lock. Alternatively, it is possible, for example, to mount the crutches 1 in quick-release sleeves with a clip implemented on the crutch holder 19, locking pliers, etc. However, it is also possible to produce crutch 1 directly with the crutch holder 19 as a single piece, making them a part of the frame, or permanently attach the crutches 1 by, for example, welding, gluing, etc.

[0054] The above mentioned basic exemplary embodiment was further substantially improved in the second exemplary embodiment by dividing the front skeleton of the frame into two front arms 4, resulting in a chassis structure further supplemented for the purposes of use by the wheels 5, 7 and a pair of connected orthopedic crutches 1 such that this assembly allowed the rolling movement in the rolling mode, as shown in fig. 1 . This exemplary embodiment utilized underarm orthopedic crutches 1 equipped with an underarm support H, a hand grip 10, and a rubber ferrule 12 at the end. In this exemplary embodiment, only the bottom ends of the crutches 1, or the bottom faces of the rubber ferrules 12 of the crutches, served as the support faces. Near the end of each crutch 1_, the crutch holder 19 was attached to the crutch l just above the rubber ferrule 12, for example, by means of bolts. Alternatively, the crutch holders 19 were again used for frequent removal of the crutch 1 by the user 16. Each crutch holder 19 comprised a joint body 2 with an opening for the joint pin 3. The front arm 4 was movably attached to each joint body 2 by housing the joint pin 3. The rotation stop 14 of the front arm 4 was installed on each joint body 2. The rear arm 6 with the rear wheel 7 was also movably mounted on each joint pin 3. After tilting the front arm 4 away into the rolling mode, in which the front arm 4 braced on the rotation stop 14, and after tilting the rear arm 6 away into the rolling mode, in which the rear wheel 7 touched the walking base beyond the level of the crutch 1_, i.e., not in front of the crutch 1_ in the forward direction 17 of travel, and the rear arm 6 was braced as a lever against the front arm 4 by a stopping protrusion 23 implemented on the rear arm 6, which is shown in fig. 4 The front arm 4 was locked in the rolling mode at a certain desired angle relative to the crutch 1 by the locking means 8 of the skeleton mounted on the joint body 2. After unlocking, i.e., releasing the means 9 for fastening the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof, the front arms 4 could be allowed to be lowered / fall freely by gravity from their upper walking position to the rolling position, in which the fall of the front arms 4 was stopped by their impact on the rotation stop 14, and then the front arms 4 were automatically secured by a spring by bringing the locking means 8 of the front skeleton into the locking position such that the user did not have to bend and perform these functions to adjust the chassis to the rolling position. For adjusting to the rolling mode, the front arms 4 were brought closer together with their front ends and connected by a quick coupler 13, here for example a flexible clamp, but a quick-release lever, magnets etc. can also be used.

[0055] In a still more advanced variant, the front arms 4 were additionally connected to each other in an adjustable manner, for example, such that the span of the front arms 4, as they were pressed against each other and formed the shape of the letter V, had an optionally adjustable angle between the front arms 4 such that it could be increased or decreased to suit the user 16 so that the crutches 1 were in a suitable position relative to each other according to the distance of the upper limbs of the user 16, and the crutches 1 were not too far apart or close together. Or, in another variant of this exemplary embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the front skeleton of the frame had two bendable angled front arms 4 that were put together in their front parts and connected by the quick coupler 13 for the rolling mode such that front arms 4 formed the shape of the letter Y with a short stem 20 and two long branches 21 , wherein the front arms 4 met at the short stem 20 of the letter Y, and further, at the point where the front arms 4 were angled, the long branches 21 of the letter Y diverged. Each such front arm 4 was composed of the short stem 20 and the long branch 21 , where in the bend of this arm, the long branch 21 and the short stem 20 were connected to each other by oval washers 22 placed on the bottom and on the upper part of the frame, and these were connected and tightened by bolts. By loosening the bolts, it was possible to bend the short stem 20 relative to the long branch 21 , thus varying the span and the relative angle that the two long branches 21 of the front arms 4 formed together, and in the appropriate position the bolts and washers were tightened and firmly stabilized the angle that the long branches together formed during the travel, and thus the distance of the crutch holders 19, which were attached at the free ends of the branches of this letter Y, was adjusted to suit the user.

[0056] In the walking mode, each front arm 4 was in turn secured in a stable position relative to each crutch 1 separately by the means for fastening 9 the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof, here specifically by fastening the front arm 6 to the crutch, for example by a clamp. Specifically, two clamps were used, each for fastening a different front arm 4 to a different crutch 1, and these clamps served as the means 9 for fastening the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof at a height to the crutch 1 after the frontal part of the front skeleton or the disconnected front arm 4 was rotated around the joint pin 3 so that during the walking movement, all wheels 5, 7 were held at a height level above the ground, as depicted, for example, in fig. 5. The rear arms were first released by releasing the bolt joint pin 3 and rotated to a height level in front of the crutches and fixed in this position again by tightening the bolt on the bolt joint pin 3, see fig. 5. Alternatively, stops or another way of fixing the rear arms with the wheels above the ground could have been used when the support faces on the bottom part of the rubber ferrule 12 pressed on the ground.

[0057] At the end of one of the front arms 4, the front wheel 5 was installed in the means for attaching the front wheel 5 mounted on the outer side of the front frame 4, however, no front wheel 5 was installed on the second front arm 4, to make the structure lighter. In another variant of this embodiment, the front wheel 5 was installed on both front arms 4, which provided greater stability and symmetry to the assembly at the expense of increased weight. The rear arm 6, which had, for example, a length of 20 cm, formed in the rolling mode an angle of 120° with the front arm 4 of a length of 60 cm, and only the part of the crutch that was provided with the rubber ferrule 12 of a height of 5 cm projected from the crutch holder 19 below its level.

[0058] Fig. 2 shows the travel of the user 16 on the crutches 1 provided with said chassis 15 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the invention, where by pushing off with the healthy leg against the road in the direction 18 of the pushing off with the healthy leg to the back leads to the movement of the user 16 leaning on the crutches 1 in the forward direction 17 of travel.

[0059] In the third exemplary embodiment, an electric drive motor was implemented in the chassis 15 according to the first or second exemplary embodiment to one of the wheels 5, 7 so that also the healthy leg could rest during at least a part of the travel. In this case, the movement of the crutch 1 was controlled by a controller using a button, but an embodiment using a joystick or voice control is also possible.

[0060] In the fourth exemplary embodiment, the front wheel 5 was implemented in the chassis 15 according to the third exemplary embodiment on a hinge 26, which was rotational on a vertical pin to correct the direction 17 of travel. The same can be done in the case of the other exemplary embodiments and multiple wheels 5, 7 as well. Another improvement to the rotation of the front wheel 5 on the vertical pin consisted in correcting the direction of travel 17, when it was driven by the servo motor and controllable by the controller.

[0061] In the fifth exemplary embodiment, electric tilting of the front and rear arms 6 away and towards by servo motors controllable via the controller was implemented in the chassis 15 according to the third and fourth exemplary embodiments. Similarly, this can be done also in the case of the first exemplary embodiment with variant c) of the means for adjusting the movement mode.

[0062] The sixth exemplary embodiment is an assembly of the chassis 15 and two crutches 1 as shown in fig. 6, where in the rolling mode, the chassis structure has two front arms 4 connected by the quick coupler 13 in the shape of the letter Y, wherein each front arm 4 comprises the short stem 20 and the long branch 21 , and at the same time the rotational hinge 26, in which the front wheel 5 is mounted, is attached to one of the short stems 21 . The second front arm 4 was without the front wheel, after tilting this front arm 4 away, the front arm 4 is rigidly connected to the front arm 4 that is already tilted away and comprises the front wheel 5. The rear wheels 7 were directly, i.e., without the rotational hinge, attached to the rear arms 6 by a bolt. The crutches connected to the chassis are conventional crutches commonly used in hospitals, i.e., they have the underarm support 1 1 , the crutch hand grip 10, and the crutch outer tube 24 with a series of openings seen in fig. 6, which allow for height adjustability of the crutch, attached to the basic structure of the crutch, where the crutch inner tube 25 further fits into this crutch outer tube 24, and it is mounted in the crutch holder 19. The user 16 of the crutches is supported by the underarm support 1 1 and / or the hand grip 10 of the crutch in both the rolling and the walking mode. On the one hand, the crutch holder 19 holds the crutches relative to the front arms 4 in the rolling mode position and further allows the distant ends of the front arms 4 to be tilted towards the crutches and thus be adjusted to the walking mode via the joint body 2 in which the joint bolt or pin 3 is implemented. In the walking mode, the front arms are separated, i.e., they are not held by the quick coupler 13, and are tilted towards the crutches 1 and each is attached by its own means 9 for fastening the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof to the individual crutches 1, i.e., the left front arm 4a to the left crutch 1 and the right front arm 4b to the right crutch 1. The rubber ferrule 12 is fitted on the bottom end of the crutch inner tube 25. The tilting rear arm 6 is connected to each front arm 4 with the attached rear wheel 7 and the stopping protrusion 23 not shown in fig. 6. As in the previous exemplary embodiments, the use of the locking means 8 of the front skeleton can be seen in fig. 6, and furthermore, again in this exemplary embodiment, the rotation stop 14 was used, not shown in fig. 6. Fig. 8 then depicts the quick coupler 13 in detail, connecting both front arms 4, i.e., the left front arm 4a to the right front arm 4b at the point of their otherwise free ends of the short stems 20. Each long stem 21 is connected to the short stem 20 rotationally via bolt or pin 28 at the connection of the long branch relative to the short stem. After adjusting the span, the bolts 28 are tightened and secured to rigidly fix the desired width of the span. In fig. 8, the direction 29 of movement of the long branch relative to the short stem during the adjustment of the span can be seen. In fig. 9, the used mounting of the crutch inner tube 25 in the crutch holder 19 with the split joint - divided into the first part of the joint body 2 and the second part of the joint body 2 - can be seen, where the first part of the joint body 2 passes through the joint bolt or pin 3 connecting this first part of the joint body 2 to the front arm 4 and also further the front arm 4 to the rear arm 6 using inserted spacing washers 35 between these individual parts. The second part of the joint body 2 is rotationally connected to the first part of the joint body 2 and is formed by a so-called joint closure 32, thus the joint body 2 can be opened and the crutch inner tube 25 can be inserted into the opening implemented therein and then it can be closed again by the joint closure 32 and secured by mounting bolts 33 of the joint closure, whereby the crutch is mounted in the chassis structure. If necessary, the crutch can be removed again by releasing the mounting bolts 33 of the joint closure and opening the joint closure 32. Fig. 9 further indicates the location of the stopping protrusion 23 performing the same function as in the previous exemplary embodiments and further the improvement of this exemplary embodiment by the used impact absorbers 31 , which is also shown in fig. 1 1 , wherein the rear arm 6 can be tilted in relative to the front arm 4 and tilted away until it is stopped by the stopping protrusion 23. In the same direction 30 of tilting in / tilting away of the rear arm, the rear arm moved slightly when crossing uneven surfaces, and the resulting impacts were absorbed by the impact absorber 31 , which provided more comfortable travel for the user 16. Fig. 12 indicates schematically the walking movement of the user 16 having one leg in a cast and supporting themselves on the crutches 1 with their hands and underarms, where this user 16 moves, as with conventional crutches, by pushing off with the healthy leg, and the structure of the chassis 15 is disconnected at the point of the quick coupler 13 and divided into two parts, where each part of the chassis 15 is folded to the corresponding crutch T The means of the movement mode is implemented such that it allows the arms of the chassis structure to be tilted relative to the corresponding crutch holders 19 such that the arms can be tilted towards and fixed at the corresponding crutch and conversely released for the walking mode and tilted away from crutch / crutches 1 for the rolling mode. In fig. 14, the right crutch 1 is indicated with the right front arm 4, 4b and the right rear arm 6 tilted thereto and fastened in the position for the walking mode, and the direction 36 of tilting the front arm 4, 4b away into the position for the rolling mode is indicated. In fig. 15, the left crutch 1 is indicated with the left front arm 4, 4a and the left rear arm 6 tilted thereto and fastened in the position for the walking mode, and the direction 36 of tilting the front arm 4, 4a away into the position for the rolling mode is again indicated. An alternative to this exemplary embodiment is depicted in fig. 7, where the front arms 4, i.e., both the left front arm 4a and the right front arm 4b had a rigid connection by welding 27 the long branch 21 to the short stem 20, and thus it was not possible to adjust the width of the span of the front arms 4, which represents a less preferred variant of the embodiment. Furthermore, an alternative of this exemplary embodiment is shown in fig. 10, where the crutch is mounted in the crutch holder by weld 35 between the crutch 1 and the joint body 2.

[0063] It is schematically indicated in fig. 13 that the chassis 15 can alternatively also have, for example, two front wheels 5.

[0064] If the front wheel 5, or if multiple front wheels 5 are present, is / are connected to the front skeleton directly, i.e., without the rotational hinge 26, the function of improved turning and the change in the direction of travel can alternatively be provided by mounting the rear wheels 7 to the rear arms 6 by the rotational hinges, i.e., not directly - without the possibility of their rotation left / right, but rotationally in a vertical axis.

[0065] List of Reference Signs

[0066] 1 - crutch

[0067] 2 - joint body

[0068] 3 - joint pin / bolt

[0069] 4 - front arm, 4a - left front arm, 4b - right front arm

[0070] 5 - front wheel

[0071] 6 - rear arm

[0072] 7 - rear wheel

[0073] 8 - locking means of the front skeleton

[0074] 9 - means for fastening the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof

[0075] 10 - hand grip

[0076] 11 - underarm support

[0077] 12 - rubber ferrule

[0078] 13 - quick coupler

[0079] 14 - rotation stop

[0080] 15 - chassis

[0081] 16 - user

[0082] 17 - direction of travel

[0083] 18 - direction of pushing off with the healthy leg

[0084] 19 - crutch holder

[0085] 20 - short stem

[0086] 21 - long branch

[0087] 22 - oval washer

[0088] 23 - stopping protrusion

[0089] 24 - crutch outer tube

[0090] 25 - crutch inner tube

[0091] 26 - rotational hinge

[0092] 27 - weld of the long branch to the short stem

[0093] 28 - bolt / pin at the connection of the long branch to the short stem - direction of movement of the long branch relative to the short stem during adjustment of the span - direction of tilting in / tilting away of the rear arm or movement of the rear arm when crossing uneven surfaces - impact absorber - joint closure - mounting bolt of the joint closure - weld between the crutch and the joint body - spacing washer - direction of tilting the front arm away

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A chassis structure that comprises a frame in a rolling mode defining a space for pushing off with at least one leg of a user (16) against a walking base, where the frame comprises a front skeleton, two side crutch holders (19) connected or connectable by it, each for holding a different crutch (1 ), and means for attaching the wheels (5, 7) for rotationally connecting the wheels (5, 7) in at least three travel points spaced on the frame to ensure the stability of the user (16) during the travel, characterized in that the chassis structure comprises at least one means for adjusting the movement mode allowing a selection of the chassis structure adjustment into a walking mode where the travel on the connectable wheels is prevented, enabling the walking movement of the chassis structure together with the user supporting themselves on the crutches, and a selection of the adjustment into the rolling mode for the movement of the user (16) supported by the crutches (1 ) by travelling on the connectable wheels (5, 7) and pushing off with at least one leg of the user (16) against the walking base, where for example, this means for adjusting the movement mode is implemented such that it allows at least a part of the chassis structure or the individual parts thereof to be tilted relative to the crutch holder (19) such that in the system with crutches, the chassis structure or a part thereof is tiltable towards and fixable to the crutch / crutches (1 ) for the walking mode and conversely releasable and tiltable away from the crutch / crutches (1 ) for the rolling mode.

2. The chassis structure according to claim 1 , characterized in that the two previously mentioned means for adjusting the movement mode are a part of the frame and are implemented such that each crutch holder (19) comprises a joint body (2) with at least one joint pin (3), where a tilting rear arm (6) of the frame is rotationally mounted on this joint pin (3), carrying at least one means for attaching the rear wheels (7), and further, a tilting front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof, in particular a front arm (4), is rotationally mounted on one common or another such joint pin (3) in the same joint body (2), wherein the front skeleton carries at least one holder of the front wheel (5); where the means for adjusting the movement mode further comprises means for fixing the frame in the rolling mode, which are: a locking means (8) of the front skeleton and a rotation stop (14) of the front skeleton of the frame implemented on each joint body (2), and further, stopping protrusions for stopping the rotation and bracing the rear arms against the front skeleton of the frame so that the support faces do not touch the walking surface during the travel; and further comprises means for fixing the frame in the walking mode, which are: a means for fastening (9) the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof and a support for the rear arms (6) for fixing them, both such as to hold the wheels (5, 7) at a height level above the ground.

3. The chassis structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that exactly one means for attaching the front wheel (5) is formed on the front skeleton of the frame.

4. The chassis structure according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the front skeleton of the frame comprises two front arms (4), which are connectable by the quick coupler (13) for the rolling mode and separable for the walking mode, in which each front arm (4) is rotational on at least one joint pin (3) independently of the rotation of the other front arm (4), and each front arm (4) is tiltable to the corresponding crutch (1 ) carried by the crutch holder (19) simultaneously carrying this front arm (4) and fixable to the crutch (1 ) by a separate means for fixing the frame in the walking mode.

5. The chassis structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance between the crutch holders (19) is adjustable by a means for adjusting the span of the front skeleton of the frame.

6. A chassis (15) for rolling movement of the user (16) supported by the orthopedic crutches (1 ), characterized in that it comprises the chassis structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a wheel (5, 7) is rotationally mounted in each means for attaching the wheel (5, 7).

7. The chassis (15) according to claim 6, characterized in that it has at least one wheel (5, 7) driven by a drive motor controlled by a controller.

8. The chassis (15) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that it has at least one of the wheels (5, 7) mounted on a hinge rotational on a vertical pin to correct the direction (17) of travel.

9. The chassis (15) according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotation of the at least one front wheel (5) on the vertical pin to correct the direction (17) of travel is driven by a turning servo motor controlled by the controller.

10. An assembly of a pair of the orthopedic crutches (1 ) and the chassis (15), characterized in that it comprises the chassis (15) according to any one of claims 6 to 9.1 1 . The assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that the crutches (1 ) are an inseparable part of the crutch holders (19), or are detachably connected thereto, or are removable from the crutch holder (19).

12. The assembly according to claim 1 1 , characterized in that the crutches (1 ) are removable underarm orthopedic crutches (1 ).

13. The assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises automated tilting away and tilting in of the rear arms (6) and of the front skeleton of the frame or a part thereof controllable by the controller.

Images