Walker Knee Rest Lateral and Vertical Adjustment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing walker assistance devices with rigidly secured knee supports are cumbersome and difficult to position, limiting their functionality for elderly or disabled users due to lack of adjustability.
Innovation Solution
A walker assistance device featuring U-shaped lateral frames with cross bars and a knee rest control unit that allows the knee rest to be rotatably mounted and laterally and vertically adjustable, enabling comfortable positioning for users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the knee rest is rigidly secured to the walker, then the structure is simple and stable, but the positioning is cumbersome and the functionality is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The knee rest is made adjustable through lateral sliding along the cross bar and vertical positioning, transforming it from a static fixed component to a dynamic reconfigurable one. This allows the knee rest to adapt to different user needs and positions while maintaining structural stability through controlled movement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The knee rest assembly is divided into separable components including the knee rest itself, the control unit, and the mounting mechanism on the cross bar. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each component, enabling flexible positioning without requiring complex integrated mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the knee rest is made adjustable, then the functionality and user comfort are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The knee rest adjustment mechanism is designed to be user-operable without requiring external assistance or complex tools. The control unit enables the user to independently adjust the lateral and vertical positions of the knee rest, making the system self-servicing and improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A control unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the knee rest positioning system. This intermediary simplifies the interaction by providing a user-friendly interface for adjustment while managing the mechanical complexity internally, thus improving ease of operation without exposing the user to complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A walker assist device has first and second U-shaped lateral frames with cross bars extending between the frames and through a knee rest control unit. A knee rest is rotatably mounted to the knee rest control unit and is laterally slidable along the cross bars to adjust its position on the cross bars. The knee rest can also be adjusted vertically in relation to the lateral frames for the comfort of the user.