Anterior Walker With Offset Telescoping Lift for Open Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing walkers with lifting mechanisms often have structural components that restrict users' access to the front or rear, preventing them from performing activities requiring spatial access and creating barriers for human interaction and everyday use.
Innovation Solution
An anterior walker with a minimal front structure and asymmetrical lift mechanism offset from the front center, allowing access from both the front and back, featuring a telescoping vertical riser assembly and actuator apparatus for adjustable torso support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If structural components are added to provide lifting mechanism, then lifting capability is improved, but spatial access to front or rear of walker is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The walker frame is segmented into distinct sections with open space between the front and rear structural elements. The lifting mechanism is positioned laterally rather than centrally, creating segmented zones that allow both structural support and spatial access. Users can reach through the open space to perform activities while the segmented structure maintains lifting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting mechanism is positioned asymmetrically on one side of the walker rather than centrally. This asymmetric placement reduces the footprint and creates open space on both the front and rear sides, allowing users to access the walker from multiple directions while maintaining the lifting function on the designated side.
2Strength
If structural components extend from front of walker, then lifting support is provided, but user access to front activities is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting support function is moved from a horizontal extension in front of the walker to a lateral position on the side. This dimensional change allows the front of the walker to remain open for user activities while the lifting mechanism operates from the side, providing support without blocking forward reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting mechanism is extracted from the traditional central front position and relocated to the lateral side of the walker. This extraction removes the blocking structure from the front path, allowing users to reach forward freely while the lifting function is maintained in its new lateral location.
3Stability of the object's composition
If walker has traditional structural configuration, then stability is maintained, but footprint is reduced by asymmetrical design
Solution Approach 1:
The walker employs an asymmetric configuration where the lifting mechanism is positioned on one side rather than extending symmetrically from the front. This asymmetric design reduces the overall footprint and width of the walker while maintaining structural stability through strategic placement of support elements and weight distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The walker structure is segmented into essential support elements rather than continuous framing. By segmenting the structure to only where needed for stability and lifting function, unnecessary material is eliminated, reducing the footprint while maintaining the required structural integrity for safe operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An anterior rolling walker has a ground support frame, a vertical riser assembly, a torso support assembly and an actuator apparatus which allows a user to raise the torso support assembly from a first lowered position to a second raised position, and to anyone of a plurality of positions there between. The lift mechanism utilizes a single telescoping riser assembly which is positioned offset from the front of the walker, such that there is minimal structure to the front of the user, allowing the user to ambulate directly to (and make physical contact with) tables, desks, refrigerators, loved ones, and the like.