Reversed Tricycle Walker with Elbow and Buttock Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobility aids for patients with disabilities or those recovering from illnesses and injuries often hinder normal gait patterns and do not provide adequate support for early ambulation.
Innovation Solution
A mobility aid with a reversed tricycle structure that supports patients through their buttocks, elbows, and hands, allowing for weight-bearing support without affecting normal gait, and featuring adjustable components for comfort and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional mobility aids are used, then patients receive support for walking, but normal gait patterns are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional walker design by placing the seat at the front instead of the back, creating a reversed tricycle structure. This inversion allows the patient's buttocks to be supported at the front while hands grip handles at the rear, fundamentally changing how support is distributed and enabling natural gait patterns to be maintained during ambulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobility aid divides support functions into multiple contact points: buttock support through the front seat, elbow support through the side supports, and hand grip through the rear handles. This segmentation of support functions allows different body parts to contribute to weight bearing while maintaining natural movement patterns.
2Reliability
If mobility aids provide adequate weight support, then patient stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it supports the front seat for buttock weight bearing, provides side supports for elbow contact, incorporates rear handles for hand grip, and includes caster wheels for mobility. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining adequate weight support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the seat, support structures, and propulsion mechanism into a single integrated frame. The front seat, side supports, and rear handles are all part of one continuous frame structure with caster wheels, eliminating the need for separate devices and reducing overall structural complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the mobility aid structure is simplified, then ease of manufacture improves, but stability and support capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The inverted tricycle configuration with the seat at the front creates an inherently stable structure where the center of gravity is positioned over the front caster wheel. This inversion provides natural stability during ambulation while maintaining a simple frame structure that is easy to manufacture from standard materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame structure concentrates strength and support capability at critical contact points: the front seat area for buttock support, the side support areas for elbow contact, and the rear handle areas for hand grip. This localized reinforcement maintains stability and support capability while keeping the overall structure simple and easy to manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
This is a mobility aid for disabled persons, including a front frame, a rear frame, and a handle frame. The front frame comprises two front legs having front wheels at the bottom ends thereof. The rear frame is attached to the front frame and includes a saddle seat and a rear leg having a rear wheel attached thereto. The handle frame includes a handle horizontal tube and a vertical handle member depending therefrom. The vertical handle member is attached to the front frame. The handle horizontal tube includes an elbow support at each end and a hand rest support plate having a pair of hand rest spheres. A patient can sit on the saddle seat with their elbow resting on the elbow support so that some or most of their body weight is supported by the saddle and elbow support, while the feet can walk freely.