Walker Attachment for Wheelchairs with Pivotable Gate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Long-term wheelchair users often require assistance to transition between using a wheelchair and a walker, leading to increased risk of dependent edema, pressure ulcers, and thrombophlebitis due to limited ambulation and lack of staffing in long-term care facilities, while short-term users need intermittent wheelchair and walker use without additional support.
Innovation Solution
A walker attachment device for wheelchairs that includes a frame with adjustable clamp assemblies and a pivotable gate, allowing users to convert between wheelchair and walker modes independently, with telescoping upright rods and locking mechanisms for user-controlled height adjustment and easy attachment to different wheelchair sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate walker device is used, then the user can ambulate independently, but the user requires assistance from a second assistant to transition between wheelchair and walker
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a walker device and wheelchair into a single integrated mobility system. The walker frame includes clamp assemblies that can attach to wheelchair armrests or frame members, allowing the walker to be coupled to the wheelchair. This merging eliminates the need for separate devices and enables the user to transition between walking and wheelchained positions independently without requiring assistance from another person.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated mobility device serves multiple functions: it operates as a standalone walker for ambulation, attaches to the wheelchair for supported mobility, and provides a transition mechanism between the two modes. The clamp assemblies can attach to various wheelchair configurations, and the gate mechanism allows the seat to pivot between horizontal (wheelchair mode) and vertical (walker mode) positions, enabling the single device to replace both separate walker and wheelchair functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the walker is attached to the wheelchair, then the user can transition independently, but the attachment mechanism must accommodate different wheelchair sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp assemblies incorporate adjustable features that allow them to accommodate different wheelchair sizes and configurations. The clamps can be positioned at different locations along the walker frame members and adjusted to fit various armrest diameters and frame member dimensions. This dynamic adjustability enables the single walker design to universally attach to multiple wheelchair types without requiring multiple specialized attachment mechanisms.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the gate connects the lateral frame members, then the walker provides structural stability, but the gate must be pivotable to allow storage in a compact position
Solution Approach 1:
The gate is designed with a pivot mechanism that allows it to rotate between a deployed position (where it connects the lateral frame members to provide structural stability) and a stowed position (where it can be positioned parallel to the direction from anterior to posterior for compact storage). This dynamic positioning capability enables the gate to fulfill both structural and storage requirements without requiring complex locking or fastening mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A walker adapted for attachment to a wheelchair may be used to assist a user with walking while retaining the wheelchair in close proximity behind the user for use when the user needs to sit. The walker may be removably attached to the frame of the wheelchair for easy exchange of use from one wheelchair to another. A pivotable, removably attachable gate between two lateral frame members may allow for the walker to be manipulated from a walking position to a stored position. The gate may include an extendable width to allow for use with wheelchairs of different widths. A frame of the walker may be extendably attached to the wheelchair, thereby allowing the user to extend and retract the walker between the walking position and the stored position.