Walker With Movable Seat Resolving Leg Obstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional walkers are cumbersome for individuals with disabilities, as they often have a seat that obstructs leg movement and lack a seamless transition from wheelchairs, making independent walking difficult and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A walker design featuring a frame with a movable seat that can be configured into a lowered position for easy mounting and a raised position for walking, along with a seat positioning mechanism and resistance means to facilitate stable and natural gait, allowing for easy transition between wheelchair and walker use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a seat is included in the walker to provide support and rest capability, then the person can rest when tired, but the seat gets in the way of their legs when walking and makes it more difficult to use the walker
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is made movable relative to the frame through a pivotal connection, allowing it to be positioned in a raised configuration during walking to clear the legs, and lowered when rest is needed. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by adapting the seat position to the current operational mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The walker is divided into separate functional components: a fixed frame with wheels and a movable seat assembly. The seat can be independently positioned relative to the frame, allowing it to be raised during walking and lowered during rest, thus separating the conflicting requirements of walking clearance and rest accessibility.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional walker with a fixed seat is used, then the structure is simple and stable, but it requires time and care to transit safely between wheelchair and walker
Solution Approach 1:
The seat assembly is designed to be dynamically repositioned relative to the frame through a pivotal connection. During transition from wheelchair to walker, the seat can be lowered to facilitate easier mounting, then raised to the walking position, reducing the time and care required for safe transition while maintaining structural stability during use.
3Ease of operation
If the seat is positioned low for easy entry, then the person can easily mount the walker, but the seat obstructs leg movement during walking
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is configured to be movable relative to the frame, allowing it to be in a lowered position during mounting to facilitate easy entry, and then raised to a higher position during walking to clear the legs and eliminate obstruction. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between mounting ease and walking comfort.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user independence and stability by allowing easy entry and exit, reducing obstruction during walking, and promoting a natural gait through adjustable resistance, thereby improving mobility and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
the second frame portion being movable relative to the first frame portion via at least one pivotal connection
Data Source
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AI summary
A walker (10) is provided for assisting a person to walk independently, the walker comprising a frame (12), one or more wheels (28, 30) connected to a base of the frame, a seat (18) connected to the frame, in which the seat is configurable into a lowered and raised position and/or in which the seat can swivel and a resistance means is provided for resisting rotation of the seat about its pivot during use.