Assisted Walking Frame With Rounded Feet for Stable Sliding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current assisted walking devices for infants, toddlers, and adults undergoing therapy lack optimal design features for stability, ease of use, and adaptability, often resulting in inadequate support and motivation during the learning process.
Innovation Solution
A walking device with a flat top section, raised borders, and support legs with rounded feet that provide a low friction interface with the floor, allowing for increased stability and ease of movement, while also incorporating a design that can be adjusted for different user sizes and providing auditory stimulation through a rattle mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the walker device has a larger base perimeter than top perimeter, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feet of the walker device are designed with rounded bottom portions instead of flat surfaces. This curvature allows the feet to naturally roll and adapt to floor imperfections, enhancing stability while maintaining a simple structural design. The rounded shape distributes contact pressure more effectively, preventing tipping and improving overall device stability without adding complex stabilization mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the rounded bottom portion of feet has low friction with the floor, then ease of operation is improved, but stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The walker device incorporates a dynamic friction system where the rounded feet can transition between static and kinetic friction states. When the walker is at rest or moving slowly, higher static friction provides stability. When pushed, the rounded feet roll slightly, reducing kinetic friction for easier movement. This dynamic friction characteristic allows the device to be both stable when stationary and easy to move when in use.
3Ease of operation
If the raised border has greater width, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The raised border is integrated directly into the top section structure of the walker device, forming a unified component rather than a separate attachment. This merging of the border with the main body provides ergonomic hand grips for ease of operation while avoiding the complexity of additional assembly steps, separate parts, or complex joining mechanisms. The border serves both structural and ergonomic functions simultaneously.
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
The device enhances the learning process by offering improved stability, adaptability, and motivational auditory cues, facilitating the transition from sitting to standing and walking, and accommodating various user sizes and surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
Each bottom portion can have a foot width greater than the leg width and collectively can define a base perimeter greater than the top perimeter. The rounded bottom portion can be configured to slide along the floor.
Implementation Method 2
The rounded bottom portion can exhibit a low friction relationship with the floor.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for assisted walking is disclosed. The device may have a substantially flat top section having a plurality of corners, a plurality of sides, and a first perimeter. The device may have a raised border formed about the first perimeter, the raised border defining a top perimeter greater than the first perimeter. The device may have a plurality of support legs, each support leg of the plurality of support legs having one of a plurality of feet. Each foot of the plurality of feet may be disposed at a distal end of each support leg of the plurality of support legs. Each foot of the plurality of feet may have a rounded bottom portion in contact with a floor, each bottom portion having foot width greater than the leg width, and defining a base perimeter greater than the top perimeter, the rounded bottom portion configured to slide along the floor.