Walking Frame Segmentation for Stability and Furniture Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing walking frames fail to adequately reduce the risk of falling accidents for individuals with balance and muscle strength issues, requiring constant assistance for daily tasks like getting out of bed or sitting down.
Innovation Solution
A walking frame design that surrounds the user on all sides with a closed upper frame and rear wheels positioned low enough to pass under furniture, providing increased stability and preventing falls by ensuring the user's head cannot contact the floor, with adjustable height and optional harness for additional support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the upper part of the frame is made narrow for stability, then stability is improved, but the user space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into an upper frame part and a lower frame part with different width characteristics. The upper part is narrow to maintain stability, while the lower part is wider to provide sufficient user space and allow passage under furniture. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different spatial characteristics to different functional zones of the frame.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rear wheels are positioned far back for stability, then stability is improved, but the frame cannot pass under furniture
Solution Approach 1:
The rear wheel-holding frame part is segmented into an upper section and a lower section. The upper section extends backward to provide stability, while the lower section is positioned low enough to pass under furniture. This vertical segmentation allows the frame to achieve both stability and ease of passage under furniture.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the wheel-holding structure into the vertical dimension by positioning it low to the ground. Instead of extending the frame horizontally under furniture, the lower frame part is positioned in the vertical dimension (low height) to allow passage, while the upper frame part extends horizontally for stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the lower frame part is made wider for stability, then stability is improved, but the frame width exceeds standard doorway dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The frame width is segmented between the upper and lower parts. The lower part is wider to provide stability and user space, while the upper part is narrower to fit through standard doorways. This segmentation allows the frame to have optimal width characteristics at different vertical levels.
Data Source
AI summary
Walking frame comprising front and rear wheels, an upper frame part that together with a hinged gate forms a closed hoop and wheel-holding, front and rear frame parts, said wheel-holding frame parts being directly or indirectly attached to or integrated with the upper frame part. The hinged gate is arranged at a rear end of the upper frame part. The rear wheel-holding frame parts extend in the direction of the rear wheels further back than the rear end of the upper frame part in a lower area that, in the vertical direction, is located less than 35 cm above the lower surface of the wheels of the wheels, in a horizontal extension of at least 10 cm behind a plumb line drawn down from the rear end of the upper frame part.